Searching for Shelter
by animeinvasiongirl
Summary: After a long battle and an unexpected turn of events, Kagome is given a chance to set things right. But can she do it? And for what price? A Yu Yu Hakusho/Inuyasha Xover. : Pairings undecided. NEW CHAPTER 04-19-2011
1. Shelter From Death

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. Both belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: On swords and such. When Viz started to translate the series, they mistranslated Tessaiga, into Tetsusaiga. (For love of the chisai "tsu" XD) Since it was already late in the translating process, they decided not to change it to its proper pronunciation. However, between you and me, I like Tetsusaiga better, so I will use it for the duration of my writing-ness.

I'll try to get some of my other stories updated as well, but this one was nagging at me to be posted, so who am I to deny the muses? XD

Anyway, onward folks!

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 1: Shelter from Death

"Inuyasha, look out!" Kagome screamed, watching as the slightly clumsy inu-hanyou jumped to avoid a tentacle the size of a tree trunk from impaling into his body.

He made no reply, but instead, hoisted his efforts into releasing a wind scar attack on the vile hanyou, disintegrating some of the deadly appendages that were aimed for himself and his comrades.

She would have released a sigh of relief, but only had time to release a purification arrow, thus rendering another tentacle useless as she protected Shippou and herself. Quickly she darted her eyes to her friends, Sango and Miroku. Both were holding their own with quick sword attacks and ofudas that helped take down more of the evil appendages of the dark hanyou.

For a moment, she felt a joy in her heart. It appeared that they were winning, they were winning against Naraku! However, that joy was short lived, as an eerie silence crept onto the battlefield. Someone new had come to play, and the hatred in her heart had led her to her former love; she wanted nothing more than to take him to hell with her.

As soon as Naraku saw the undead miko step onto the battlefield, his evil laugh could be heard by each member of the inu-tachi. It should have been warning enough, but it was not, as he launched an attack at Kikyou. Six razor sharp and deadly tentacles sliced through the air to pierce through the clay and ash body of the undead miko, drawing what little blood there was to her composition, and sending her crashing down to the ground. As she did, the many souls that floated around her disbursed into the noon sky, taking with them the source of her "life".

The anguished cry of Inuyasha filled the air as he raced to her side, cradling her pale, cold form to his own warm one. "Kikyou, Kikyou…speak to me…please…" he cried out, completely focused on her lifeless form, and not on the battle at hand.

Kagome stood completely still, taking in the sight with unseeing eyes. He would never see her for who she truly was, and that shattered what little bit of hope she had left for a future with him. Time after time, no matter what happened or what she had seen between the two, she had held hope that things could be different between them, and that they could be together, however, this was something that she couldn't ignore, and couldn't put anymore false hope in.

Without thinking, she turned to Naraku, her eyes ablaze with anger, and sorrow. He had hurt her friend for the last time. "Naraku, you'll pay!" she screamed, notching her arrow and letting it fly. As before, it destroyed some of the tentacles that were reforming, but not all of them. His evil laughter resonated throughout the air, making an involuntary shudder go through each of their small group.

"My dear miko…you're still just a copy of the original…you will never be able to defeat me!" his dark voice replied, as he struck out with a vengeance against each of them, knocking over Miroku and Sango as they stood back to back defending one another. Shippou could be felt clinging to the back of Kagome's hair, and she shot off another arrow, hitting her target, but not destroying him.

Inuyasha was lost in a world of grief. He was pinned to the Goshinboku when Kikyou died the first time, this time however, he wasn't asleep, and wasn't protected from the emotion that overtook him. In the background, he could hear the battle rage on, but at this point, he didn't care anymore. "Let me die…" he reasoned, "…I no longer have a reason to live."

Kagome's scream reached his ears, but only just in time for him to look up. He wished now, that he hadn't.

Kagome saw Naraku's head turn to lock on Inuyasha and the clay form of Kikyou. She saw the evil glint darken in his eye. Then, she watched as he launched a massive attack at the hanyou that held her heart. That was all the prompting she needed as she raced forward. Everything felt as if it were going in slow motion. Her heart beat slowly in her ear, her bow was clenched tightly in her hand. Her hair was suddenly much lighter as Shippou let go, stopping to send his fox fire at a demon that got in her way. Her shoes hit the soft, spongy ground as she ran; racing against time itself as she selflessly threw herself in front of the attack, she never thought for a second to save herself; the only thought that resonated in the miko's mind, was to protect the one she loved.

Sango and Miroku watched with fear filled eyes as their sister ran in front of a brutal attack meant for the hanyou, screamed her name when she didn't stop, and cried, when they saw what the dark hanyou did to their little sister.

Inuyasha saw Kagome coming closer to him, but only a flash of her face remained engrained in his memory. The worry, and fear in her face would haunt him for the rest of his days. Her scream of agony would forever fill his dreams. He watched as sharp, pointed tentacles from the vile hanyou pierced her skin ruthlessly, impaling the young miko fully upon its deadly appendages. Her scream echoed in the clearing, pure agony and anguish in its depths as she looked to Inuyasha with a whispered, "I love you…"

Kagome was in pure hell as she felt the sting of Naraku's poisoned appendages slicing through her body, destroying vital organs and quickly bringing her on the brink of death. Blood flowed thickly from her wounds, promising that her death would be quick, if nothing else. Her eyes locked on Naraku's and she smirked, the last thing she could think of doing as her powers flared to life, the proximity of the part of her missing soul coming back to release a powerful wash of miko energy out towards the dark hanyou.

Nothing could save him as he was slowly disintegrated from the outside in, as the wash of energy enveloped him, and slowly destroyed him, and purified the jewel fragments that were in his body.

Kagome saw him slowly die, and drew in one of her final breaths, coughing up blood as she looked to the brilliant blue sky. She heard simultaneous shouts of her name, but she couldn't answer, as she closed her eyes, succumbing to the darkness that was death.

"It wasn't supposed to happen like this!" Inuyasha screamed into the air, ignoring the simultaneous looks of sorrow and pity that Sango and Miroku shot his way. Shippou clung to the young miko's matted raven hair, tear streaks down his face. He had lost another mother, and it was slowly breaking him.

The young slayer reached down and drew the kitsune child close, offering him her comfort, and trying to console herself as well. The Shikon lay complete where Naraku used to stand, glittering innocently in the spring sun.

Miroku slowly drew his beads away from the cursed wind tunnel, and couldn't help but feel relieved. The curse was broken, and he wouldn't have to fear for his life anymore; at least, not from the curse. He placed a gentle hand on Sango's back, bringing her close to hold her. The slayer went willingly into the monk's arms, her tears increasing in their intensity as she grieved for her young sister.

He held his own grief in check as he offered comfort to those he loved. His eyes went to Inuyasha, and he watched as the inu-hanyou lost control and started to sob, pulling Kagome's disfigured body to him, begging her forgiveness for failing to protect her one last time. The miko couldn't answer, not anymore, and could no longer offer her long given forgiveness.

It wasn't long, before a stoic figure came upon the clearing, brought forth because of the scent of the vile hanyou and his half brother. He did not expect to see such a sight however. Sesshoumaru saw the blood from the miko awash on the battlefield, the complete Shikon restored and laying gently on the ground, and the tears of each of the members of the inu-tachi. He feared the worst, and got it.

The miko was slain, and now there was the unspoken thought of, 'Who will protect the jewel now?' and 'What of the wish upon it?' He moved to stand beside the little jewel, clearing his throat lightly to gain their attention.

Each one turned, and Inuyasha jumped up, gently setting down Kagome's quickly cooling body. "Bastard! Have you come for a fight!? 'Cause I'm ready for one!" he screamed out, wiping his tears away, and brandishing Tetsusaiga at the taiyoukai lord.

"Stop it, Inuyasha! Just…stop…" Sango cried out, falling silent as she looked to the Taiyoukai lord. "Please…please save my sister…" she whispered out brokenly. She knew of Tenseiga's power, and she prayed that he would save Kagome from the grips of death. Kagome was the one who deserved to live the most, and she was the one who was now dead.

Raising an eyebrow at the slayer, then to the monk and kitsune, his face remained passive. As his eyes settled on his hanyou brother, they narrowed slightly. There he remained, Tetsusaiga transformed and held out to challenge him. "Move aside, half-breed." He said, his voice showing a slight bit of annoyance at the hanyou.

"Fuck if I will!" he shouted, his grief clouding his good sense as he rushed at the taiyoukai, who easily sidestepped. As a result, he went flying into a nearby tree, further upsetting his already bad temper.

Ignoring his outburst, Sesshoumaru moved closer to the impaled body of the miko, and for once in his life, his face showed an emotion other than sarcasm. A light sadness clouded his features as he looked upon her body. She was young, but she had heart, and spirit. More than most humans and demons he had known. He also knew of Rin's fondness of the female human, and slowly drew his inherited fang from it's sheathe.

Sango, Miroku, and Shippou watched with curious, but hopeful eyes. They each prayed that the powerful fang would revive their comrade, and friend, however, Inuyasha wasn't so patient, and moved to charge the lord again. "Get away from her, you bastard!" he shouted, moving to attack, however, as he did, the Tetsusaiga reverted back to it's dormant form, stunning the inu-hanyou momentarily. "What the hell…?"

He paused as Sesshoumaru lifted the thin blade forged of his fathers fang, watching it glow a gentle swirl of purple's and blue's.

Sesshoumaru wanted this to work as badly as the others. Kagome was innocence and light, much like his own Rin, and to have her taken from the world by the likes of Naraku was unsettling to say the least. Had he known that the inu-tachi were so close to the final battle, and that they were so close to Naraku, he would have taken the time to come aid them, if only in hopes to take his own revenge on the evil bastard.

As he sliced the blade down, something unexpected happened, starting with the nearly complete Shikon laying just feet away from Kagome's body. The soul that had just been completed with the re-death of Kikyou slowly emerged from the center of her mutilated chest, doing the complete opposite of what the fang had previously done for his ward, Rin.

Eyes wide, he stepped back, watching as her soul moved to surround the Shikon sphere, bringing it back to hover above Kagome's still form. Without warning, three unnaturally bright pink beams shot into her soul from different directions: East, South, and finally from her own neck, as the jewel fragments on her person were gathered. Shards from the wolf prince, the demon slayer child, and those that had managed to escape Naraku's grasp were brought together to complete the jewel that had been the downfall of so many demons and humans before it.

After a few silent moments, the jewel and Kagome's soul took on the ethereal form of a familiar figure, and Miroku and Sango instantly went to one knee. Sesshoumaru bowed to no one, but Inuyasha remained stunned, as did Shippou.

"Midoriko sama…" Miroku voiced quietly, still unsure of what in the hell was going on. Why wasn't Kagome healed? What had happened?

"Humble monk, demon slayer, kit, fire neko, inu-hanyou, and taiyoukai…", she addressed each of them in turn, her eyes lingering on Sesshoumaru the longest, before she looked over the group again. "…I apologize beforehand, this, I am afraid, is not a happy visit."

Sango quickly interrupted the ancient miko. "What is going to happen to Kagome? Why did she have to die, Midoriko?!" she cried out, her anguish overtaking her normal sense of patience.

Pity filled the miko's eyes before she shook her head. "Destiny is sometimes cruel, young slayer." She replied quietly, before turning to Sesshoumaru. "I have words for you, from my sister. For all of you…" she added, looking to each of them.

Inuyasha finally had had enough. "Then spit it out already, wench!" No matter the situation, he would always be his normal, brash self.

Managing to settle for a critical look in the hanyou's direction, she shook her head before continuing. "Lord Sesshoumaru…the miko, Kagome, wished that she had more time to prepare her final words, but humbly asks you to care for the one she left behind. She apologizes for his lack in training, but still cares and trusts in you enough to care for her kitsune kit." She said softly, bowing gently to the stoic lord.

His eyes moved to lock on Shippou's, and he nodded softly. It was a simple task. If that was all that she asked of him, it was the least he could do, in his opinion, for taking down the vile hanyou, Naraku.

The miko's slightly see-through head tilted to lock on Sango's. "She wishes for your happiness, Slayer, and has managed a gift, one I am sure you will never be able to repay." She sounded slightly stiff at this point. Really, she couldn't understand the miko Kagome. Her heart was entirely too large for her body, and she had managed to even defeat Naraku. How she did it, the miko would never know, but if anything, she supposed she owed Kagome a bit of gratification.

Sango's eyes were curious and wide. What had Kagome left her? "Your sibling, slayer, has been spared his almost certain death when the fragment of Shikon was removed from his body. He remains unconscious, but unharmed near the Slayer's village. She tells you to go now, with the monk, and be happy together."

The young girl's tears were instantly intensified at that moment. Kagome had saved her baby brother, whom she thought lost forever to her. Miroku wrapped an arm around her, hugging her softly.

"Kagome also says that you are to behave yourself, monk." The miko smirked lightly, feeling the emotions of goodwill coming from Kagome's soul that was currently surrounding the Shikon.

He nodded softly in response, a light smile coming to his saddened face. He would miss her dearly.

As they stood, Midoriko looked to Shippou, who was moving to stand near Sesshoumaru. "Kit…Kagome apologizes for leaving you behind, but she wants to tell you that she loves you." Shippou paused in his steps, his bottom lip trembling as he walked closer to the spirit miko, squashing his fear down as best he could before he replied. "Momma, I love you too."

Midoriko blinked, taken aback by the relationship that obviously existed between the demon child and miko woman. What had happened while the teenage girl walked the earth in this time? How could she even attempt to care for demons, being what she was? Shaking the thoughts away, she turned to Inuyasha, who instantly flattened his ears to the sides of his head. He was certain that she would be upset at the way he had acted over Kikyou's death, and prepared himself for some sort of reprimand for it.

"Inuyasha…she wished to comfort you over your loss somehow, but it is difficult for her now, you understand." She replied softly, looking to the saddened hanyou. She felt slightly sympathetic towards him. He had lost both his old love, and his companion in the same five minutes of time.

He nodded softly, hearing each word clearly in his mind. Typical Kagome. She always wanted to comfort him somehow. Even from the first day she met him.

"She says that she is sorry that things ended this way, but that she still wants you to know something." The miko filled the silence once more as the slightly blue light faded to allow more pink, as Kagome's influence became stronger.

"…what is it…" he replied softly, a statement more than a question as he stepped closer to the miko's form.

"…I love you…" the whisper came on the wind, and the voice was purely Kagome's as her face appeared in the slight mass of light that was the Shikon and her spirit.

A tear raced down the pale cheek of the hanyou, as he nodded. "Me too, Kagome…" he whispered, the wind barely carrying it to both Sesshoumaru and the lighted form in front of him. He really did love her, he knew it deep down in his heart now that she was gone, forever out of his reach.

Quickly however, Midoriko took back full control of their form, ending their last meeting abruptly. "Time grows short. Destiny is taking back control of this young woman's life. This may be the last time you see her in this form, but do not be discouraged. The future holds much for her. Keep an eye out, hanyou, kit, taiyoukai." She knew of what the future held, and knew that the three demons before her would live to see the young miko again.

Sango and Miroku looked slightly hopeful at the miko's words. Kagome would have a life elsewhere? Before they could question it further, the light of the child miko's soul grew, surrounding her decapitated body, before her soul, the Shikon, and her body, disappeared in a flash of brilliant, white light.

The surprised cries of each member of the inu-tachi were overwhelming for Sesshoumaru before, he too, saw that the miko's body was gone. He did not voice his thoughts, or show his surprise. The ancient miko had said as much, that she was not truly gone. How she had managed it, he did not know, but he would watch for her in the future.

Before long, the group parted their separate ways, to head for their particular destinations. Sango and Miroku left to find Kohaku, while Inuyasha remained behind to gather the ash left behind by Kikyou's clay body. He would put her to rest once again at her burial site next to Kaede's village, and prayed that this time, she would stay at peace.

Sesshoumaru took Shippou in his arm as soon as they were alone. The kit was obviously distressed after losing his mother, and he did something that he had only done for one other being, and comforted the young child. He would not let the faith that Kagome had placed in him go to waste.

Kagome had known the moment she closed her eyes that everything had changed. Death was certain as she faced her fear and protected the one she loved. However, she had not planned on seeing Midoriko, nor being able to convey her last words to those she cared for. The Shikon had surprised her yet again, by activating. Midoriko had confronted her, and all she had wanted was to tell her friends that she loved them, and wanted to make them happy. In exchange, the ancient miko shared with her brief knowledge of about what was to come for her.

She couldn't believe it. As soon as they had left for the Spirit world, she had felt it. Her chest was heaving lightly, though her spirit was away from her body. What in the world was happening? As quickly as the bright light had blinded her, it vanished, revealing a drably walled hospital of sorts. Her eyes widening, she watched as her body was taken by two very tall blue colored ogres in lab coats, and placed on a white sheeted bed. She was dead, and voiced that fact, but they seemed to ignore her.

"Hey, idiots! That's my body, what the hell are you doing?!" she shouted out, throwing out her see through hands towards the offenders, but managed to just go through the solid figures.

Turning around, she went to move after them again, but they were moving away from her disfigured body, leaving her to finally see what Naraku had done to her. She grimaced, putting a pale hand to her just as pale mouth. He had meant that for Inuyasha, but she took the blow instead. She was glad, that he had lived. Even if she had to die.

As she moved closer to the limp vessel that used to be her body, she sighed gently. Why was she here? And why was her body here? Shouldn't she have been buried in the past? Put to rest, or something? As she looked around the hospital like room, she frowned. This was supposed to be the afterlife that people looked forward to? It wasn't an appealing thought.

The last thing Koenma, lord and leader of the spirit realm, expected to see was a young girl hovering over her dead body. He had known that Higurashi, Kagome had died, however it was five-hundred and fifty years before she was even supposed to be born! Because of the time shift, her body was automatically recovered by his staff, along with a strange artifact. It was nothing but a rumor, considering the Miko's soul who originally created the jewel was missing. In fact, it was trapped, and there was no way to confirm any of the rumors or reports, considering that rumor came about another fifteen hundred or so years prior to even this young girls appearance!

Quietly, he approached the young girl, keeping his toddler appearance. "Greetings, young spirit." He said, looking to the girl with curiosity and confusion.

Kagome tilted her head towards the voice. Who was this? Was he talking to her? Could he actually see her?

"Uhm…are you talking to me, little guy?" she asked, tilting down to take a closer look at the young spirit ruler.

He sighed. At least she didn't call him a toddler. "Yes, my dear. I wonder, why are you roaming this realm? Why are you not in the land of the other departed spirits?" he asked, taking a seat near her mangled body.

She regarded him quietly a moment, before she shook her head. "I don't know…I know I'm dead, but I expected a little more than this place for my afterlife…" she smirked lightly, trying to keep her spirits up. Though she was lost forever to her friends and family, at least she knew of their happiness, now that Naraku was gone.

His chuckle got her attention, and she huffed lightly. "What's so funny?"

"This is not the realm of spirits. Though you're close. You have made your way into the Spirit Realm, this is my castle, and I am Lord Koenma, leader of the Spirit Realm."

Her eyes widened to saucer size. "WHAT?! Why am I here?" she asked, looking to him, and freaking out a little. What was going to happen when her family and friends died? Would she even get to see them again in the afterlife?

He shook his head. "I wish I knew, but for now, I would like to strike a bargain with you, young spirit. How would you like to regain your life?"

She blinked, before leaning over closer to him, inspecting him closely now. "What kind of bargain? And what would I be doing? Where would I be? I want to know specifics, mister." She folded her translucent arms over her chest, eyeing him warily.

He smirked lightly at her attitude. Yes, she is just what his team was missing. "It will be your own time era, the year 2000. I believe you were…or rather, are, 19 years of age?" A soft nod from her spirit form was his cue to continue. "Your family does not know of your death in the past, and they need not know of your death. Things can be set back to the way they were supposed to be, with you living the life you were supposed to live. The evil hanyou you defeated in the past is no more, and you will no longer have to worry for your friends' safety." He elaborated, earning a soft sigh from the raven haired girl.

"That's good, Koenma…" her face looked slightly wistful as she gave him a soft smile. "What would I have to do to get my life back? And how can I? My body is pretty banged up, as you can see…" she pointed out, looking back to her badly damaged corpse.

He shook his head, before stepping up and placing his hands over her body. Wave after wave of light yellow energy flowed from his hands into her exposed chest, covered only lightly by straps of cloth from her school uniform that had hung on in the final attack. Kagome watched, amazed, as her skin slowly regenerated and pulled back together, covering up her inner most wounds and dissolving the last of the miasmic poison left that the purification powers of Midoriko hadn't gotten rid of. Her organs rebuilt themselves, and gasped, as she saw her chest began to move more rhythmically as Koenma worked his otherworldly powers on her body.

"W-wow…" she breathed, reaching out almost cautiously to place a see-through hand on her body.

"Why thank you." The young leader smirked. She was obviously easily entertained. This was nothing for him, and now, it was her turn to keep up her end of the deal.

"This, Miss Spirit, is your ordeal." He said, holding out a small golden egg in her direction. She blinked, before reaching out and taking it, surprised to feel the solidness of the object in her hand, after not feeling much of anything except weightlessness for the past half hour or so.

"A golden chicken egg? Am I supposed to sell it or something?" she asked, looking dubious at it as she recalled a nursery book story.

"No, Miss Spirit, you are going to feed it with your spirit energy. It will grow continuously from that feeding, and depending on the nature of your energy, it will either save you, or devour you upon hatching." He replied nonchalantly.

Her eyes widened and she almost dropped the small egg. "What the hell? Why would I want to do that for?!" she screamed, not so sure about this now.

Koenma rubbed his forehead. What was it with people and this damn ordeal? They had a chance to get their life back, didn't they understand? It was a rare chance, and the thought of being devoured always turned the deal sour in most cases.

"Because you have no other choice. Otherwise, you will remain a spirit and I will escort you to the spirit realm now, if that is your wish." He replied, hopping down from his chair to walk towards the doorway.

Kagome watched him walk a few steps, before calling out, "Wait!" and then in a quieter voice, "…wait a second…Just…give me a moment to think, okay?"

He paused, and waited patiently for her to gather her thoughts, watching her with curiously blank eyes. The miko took a breath, and glanced from her body to the egg, weighing her options. She wouldn't want her mother to go on living not knowing what happened to her daughter, and she sure as hell didn't want to just give up. It wasn't her style. Firming her resolve, she nodded to the toddler sized ruler, moving out from beside her body. Oddly enough, she could feel the solid floor under her feet now. Apparently she was semi-solid in this place, and that was better than being all drifty, in her opinion.

"I'll take on this ordeal. What do I have to do in the meantime?" she asked, glancing back to her body one more time before following the Reikai ruler out of the hospital like room and through a strange maze of dimly lit passageways.

"You will accompany Botan on her cases. Some spirits must move on to the afterlife, but are bound by grief or some other powerful emotion. It is her job to convince them to move on, as well as to escort them to the Realm of Spirits. Your expertise in human emotion will be helpful to her." He explained, moving through a set of large doors, which left Kagome wide eyed and speechless.

"Mr. Matsumoto is thirty seconds late!" she heard one loud voice shout, while another shouted, "Miss Racine is three minutes early!" Another voice added to the large din of noise, "I have the Katsuragi file here!"

She paused at the large doorway, watching all of the commotion with guarded eyes and a curious mind. Was this the way the spirit realm worked? It was so….noisy!

"Come along, Miss Higurashi. We've not got all day." Koenma spoke up, getting her attention again as she slowly followed him, watching out for more ogres and random paperwork that flew this way and that overhead.

She followed him through another set of large doors, seeing a lone desk set up. 'This must be his office…' she deduced mentally, moving behind him a few more steps before standing in front of the desk. She watched him push a button and call for someone named "Botan". The…whatever…that she was supposed to work with.

"Howdy ho, Koenma sama. Botan, here. What did you need?" an extremely cheerful female voice asked, getting Kagome's attention as she turned around quickly, hiding her small egg behind her back, still wary of her surroundings.

"Botan, this is Kagome, Kagome, this is Botan, otherwise known as the Grim Reaper. She will be your guide until your spirit egg hatches, and you two will be working together." Koenma replied, looking over some papers now and seeming to be uninterested in the two females now.

The young miko blinked. 'Grim Reaper?!' she shouted mentally. "The name's Botan. Nice to meet'cha!" the girl in the pink kimono spoke up cheerfully, holding out her hand to Kagome. Swallowing a nervous lump in her throat, Kagome reached out and shook the girl's hand, and slightly relaxed. She seemed nice enough, and just because she was Lady Death, didn't mean she was really horrible, did it? Suddenly, an image of a bony skeleton draped in black robes seemed so silly now in her mind.

"I'm Kagome…nice to meet you too." Both girls turned to Koenma for further instructions, and he finally looked up from his papers.

"You two will be handling this case. A young girl's spirit held to a park bench in Shinjuku. I don't know the details, but this case shouldn't prove to be too difficult, ladies. Good luck!" he said, before dismissing them. Nodding, Botan took out her notebook, and stored the files she needed. Seemed it would be another long week. She wondered how the other spirit detectives were doing, but until she got a break, she couldn't go visit them. Looking to her new teammate, she smiled, before leading them out towards the doors to head into the Ningenkai.

"It's really a good deal to get your life back you know…it doesn't happen often." She added to the raven haired girl who had been quiet since they left Koenma's office.

Kagome looked up, before nodding softly. "I know…it's just…I kind of miss my friends. I won't get to see them again, most likely. The last thing they remember of me is dying. It kind of sucks." She smiled weakly, before looking down, and gasping. They were high above the air, and behind them was a large palace, much larger than what she had ever seen before, and below, was almost a wasteland looking place.

"What is that?!" she called out over the wind, looking to Botan.

"That's the Makai. The demon realm. We're going to the Ningenkai however, and hopefully you'll never have to go to the Makai for anything. It's dangerous, and not a place for humans to travel." She elaborated, as they sped on, going through a strange portal in the sky. It reminded Kagome of the Bone Eater's Well, and for the first time since she had died, she let herself cry silently for her loss.

A/N: Okay, what do you think? Good, bad? Needs more or less? Let me know and I'll see how fast my muses can give me another chapter. Those of you who've watched Yu Yu Hakusho may recognize the spirit egg plot bunny. Well, I'm also working with stories from the manga that weren't shown in the anime to move this story forward, but don't worry, soon she'll meet the tantei and things are going to get even more interesting. -

As always, please read and review!

Kudos, Loves!

animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan


	2. Shelter From Loneliness

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: I've gotten good response with this, and the muses are like, "Hell's yes" with the ideas, so here's another chapter. Hope you all enjoy!

A/N #2: I have had a difficult time finding out Kagome's moms real name, but came across Kun-Loon for one. This just sounds odd to me, and have decided that for my purposes, I will use the first name of the Japanese seiyuu that voices her as her first name. (Asako)

P.S.: Sorry for the many point of view switches throughout, I tried to keep it as organized as I could, so keep an eye out for the "" to hint at point of view changes.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 2: Shelter from Loneliness

Looking to the sad girl, Kagome sighed gently. Another young person tied to the world of the living, when they were to be departed and existing in the world of the dead. So many young people harbored feelings of anger and resentment that it depressed her slightly. However, it only strengthened her resolve to make things right in their afterlives.

After some quick talking with the girl, she had discovered that she was waiting on someone who had promised to meet her. However, that same someone had only set her up, and was never coming to meet the sweet hearted girl. After clearing up the incident, she assured the girl that though he broke her heart, she should not let him have the satisfaction of seeing her suffer. For so long, her own heart had battled with similar problems. Inuyasha was torn between her and Kikyou, and though she admitted she loved him, it was on her deathbed. There was nothing for her anymore with the hanyou. It was a sad reality to face…loneliness.

Botan was good company, if only a bit self-centered, and she talked constantly. Sometimes she wished that she could just talk to someone who listened to her for once. Sighing lightly, she waved goodbye to the young girl as she departed to the afterlife, and glanced to the blue haired spirit ferry. She was talking on the small mirror communicator that connected her to Koenma and was ignoring Kagome completely.

Turning her attention to the busy street below her as she floated in the air, she raised her eyebrow at a feeling she got from a small group of males. It was strangely familiar, and intriguing. Taking one more glance at Botan to see she was still engaged on the communicator, she smirked lightly before moving to hover near the group.

At the center was a young man of decent height, with jet black hair that was slicked back and a pair of shades that screamed "bad-ass". He was the loudest, and currently was complaining about his "Grandma" and how she had put him on a new training regiment that was pure hell. Hiding a giggle, she continued to listen as a taller man with orange red hair teased him about being a wimp, and that he couldn't handle the old woman's training.

She tilted her head as she heard a soft laugh come from another of the males, this one sporting brilliant red hair and a strange aura. She curiously regarded him a moment, before looking to the last of their group. He was different, and it wasn't just his aura, which was screaming confliction at her, but it was his demeanor. It reminded her of Sesshoumaru almost. He seemed slightly aloof from the other males, though he also seemed to be relaxed in their company. His unnaturally spiky hair was dark as night, and though he spoke nothing in the conversation, she could feel another deadly presence about the smaller demon. He seemed to be the most volatile of the four, and as they continued on their way around the street corner, she watched on with curious eyes.

Botan, now finished with her conversation, called Kagome back to her side. "I'm sorry, but something has come up and I have to return to the spirit realm. As part of this ordeal, I'm to leave you here in the spirit realm, so stay out of trouble, and here…" she held out a manila folder towards the miko spirit, "…work on some of these cases if you can. I'll catch up with you later."

Taking the folder, Kagome watched as she disappeared in a flash on her wooden oar. Worrying her lower lip, she looked to the folder, before shaking her head. Damn if she would work when she finally had some freedom. Looking to her small spirit egg, she saw it flashing lightly. "…is it feeding now?" she questioned aloud, before slipping it back in her pocket.

She started to wander around Shinjuku, until she realized she was actually following the boys that she had noticed before, and blinked. What was it about her and demons? She felt drawn to them, like she had been drawn to Inuyasha. Pushing that thought away, she watched over them and caught the orange haired boy looking back at her. "No, not at me, normal humans can't see me…" she said softly to herself, looking back at the boy. His next words were whispered low, and she couldn't hear them, but she couldn't dismiss the four sets of eyes on her astral person.

Kuwabara listened while Yusuke and Kurama discussed their last battle, and puffed up his own part in the battle as he exclaimed, "He didn't know what him 'em!" with an added punch up of his fist in the air. Rolling his eyes at the ningen, Hiei remained silent while Yusuke scoffed and punched his friend's shoulder playfully. "Yeah, and you weren't the one freaking out at all…" he smirked, laughing.

The orange-haired boy went to reply, when he felt something off coming from behind him. Turning his head, he could see the faint outline of a spirit hovering above them. It wasn't malicious, he could tell, but still, why was a spirit following them? Turning back to his comrades he spoke in a low voice that got all their attentions. "…guys…don't look now, but there's a spirit following us…"

Instantly, all three looked back behind them, sending out their youkai energies to feel out the aforementioned presence. The readings were surprising to two of them, while Yusuke wasn't affected at all. "You're losin' your touch, baka, there's nothin' special about the spirit." The young toushin said to Kuwabara, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly.

Kurama and Hiei's eyes met simultaneously. There was something strange about the spirit, something that neither could quite put their finger on, but refrained from speaking up. Let the spirit follow them. Eventually they would figure out why the wandering soul felt the need to stalk their group.

Eventually, they came to the corner where they were to part ways, and said their goodbyes, leaving Yusuke to head to his mother's apartment, Kuwabara to head to his sister's apartment, Kurama to go to his mother's home, and Hiei to head back to Genkai's to check up on his sister.

Kagome watched as each of them went their own separate ways, making her stop and hover at that street corner for a moment. What was she going to do now? It wasn't like she could go visit a friend, or had anyone whom she could talk to. Sighing softly, she watched each of the boys depart, before she moved for home. Maybe the shrine could comfort her where no one else could.

Kurama and Hiei both felt the spirit's aura becoming fainter and fainter as it drifted away, and both put it out of their minds for the moment, each continuing their way to their individual destinations.

Kuwabara though, couldn't push the spirits aura out of his head. He could feel power, but it wasn't of malicious intent. It was almost as if the spirit was just curious about him and his friends, but for the life of him he couldn't really understand why. There was no way any other humans knew about demons, or his friends for that matter. But still, it nagged at the back of his mind, and he took a quick moment to search out the familiar spirit with his energy, and easily found it. Taking a detour off his current track, he began to follow the spirit, and ended up at a shrine. His curiosity baited now, he walked up the steps of Higurashi shrine, intending on figuring out this little mystery, if only to put his own anxieties to rest.

Kagome's eyes softened as she reached the top of the steps of her home. Papered sutras rustled in the faint breeze, drawing her attention to the large and lonesome tree that grew near her home. The Goshinboku was a lasting reminder of what had happened in the past, and even now, she could see a still figure pinned to its center, silver hair shifting in an invisible breeze, and the most adorable pair of dog ears protruding from the sides of his head.

Slowly, she moved closer to the large tree, relaxing beneath it as she sat upon the earth to relax. This tree was always a source of peace, and now it would serve her again, as she became as lonely as it. Everything had been taken from her, and all she could do was to try and take some of it back, thus why she even attempted to do this ordeal that Koenma had offered. Taking a glance over the lands, she leaned back against the large trunk of the tree, before closing her eyes. A spirit didn't need to sleep, but she closed her eyes, resting near her greatest source of comfort right now, home. However, her rest was soon to be interrupted by a familiar aura. One of the boys she was following was back, and she wondered why he had come. Did he come to seek her out? Did that mean he actually saw her earlier? Curious, and confused, she stood to meet him, not sure how this new turn of events would play out.

As Kuwabara ascended the shrine steps, he paused, and looked out over the grounds. They were well maintained, and he wondered if perhaps this spirit was haunting the shrine. Why would it come here otherwise? "Hello, young man, may I help you?" a soft female voice cut through his thoughts. Managing to stop himself from jumping in surprise, he turned to take in the older woman who spoke to him.

She had a soft smile upon her face and a gentle aura, something that calmed him slightly as he replied, "I was just walking and found myself here…what shrine is this?" he asked, learning a trick or two from the kitsune about smooth talking through a lie.

Smiling a bit more, she easily accepted his answer, and replied, "This is Higurashi shrine, it has been in my family for ages. If you would like, I can give you the tour." She offered, giving him a once look over. While rough around the edges, he seemed like a gentle spirit, and she was reminded of her own daughter. She did miss her dearly. She hoped that Inuyasha would let her come home soon to visit.

Nodding in acceptance, he walked a few steps closer to the nice woman. "That would be great, thank you; by the way, my name is Kazuma." He was always the perfect gentleman, even if his outward demeanor and reputation sometimes made him feared by others.

"And I am Asako, and you can call me either that, or Ms. Higurashi." She responded, turning to lead him further onto the shrine property.

"Ms? I'm sorry if I sound forward, but you seem too nice and pretty to be unmarried…" he spoke up, falling in step with the older woman.

Her laughter made him stop a moment, before he raised a questioning eyebrow. The older woman was clearly amused by something he said.

"I'll take that as a compliment. I was married once, to a fine young officer." Her eyes turned wistful as she spoke of her late husband. "He passed on, a few years ago, just after my second child was born. He was helping to stop a robbery, and ended up getting shot and killed." She said softly, a hint of sadness flashing across her face, but then disappeared as if had never been there to begin with.

"Oh…I'm sorry…" now he felt like a jackass, and wasn't sure what else to say.

She shook her head. "It's alright…now, about that tour…" she smiled softly to him, gesturing to the large tree that he had seen upon entering the shrine grounds. He stopped, feeling a mix of energies, one was that of the spirit, and one was that of the tree itself. This was certainly interesting.

"That is the Goshinboku, or God's Tree, and has been on this shrine property for ages. Legend has it that a hanyou demon and his miko lover were betrayed by an evil demon and that in her final moments, she sealed him to this tree. Afterwards, she was cremated and buried, along with a small jewel that she was bound to protect, the Shikon no Tama." Asako knew the legends were true because of her daughter's remarkable travels, but still, in this time period, humans knew nothing of the existence of demons or fabled jewels.

Kuwabara's eyes widened slightly. "Wow…what a way to go, they must have died so unhappily." He said softly, his eyes drifting to the tree again.

"Indeed…" she replied softly, that sadness racing across her face again. She wanted to see her girl home and done with her duty. She did not like waiting and wondering if her little girl was alright, it was much the same with Kagome's father, but different, as 500 years separated them. Even though the young man was mistaken, she didn't bother to correct him. Inuyasha remained alive, but only in a timeless sleep, but it was something he really didn't need to know. Falling silent, she left the man alone with his thoughts, continuing on with her chores, lost in her own thoughts now.

Kuwabara watched the older woman walk away, and looked back to the tree. He could still feel that other spirit, and now it was his turn to find out something about it.

Kagome watched as her mother explained a bit of the legend to the strange young man. She had heard his name as he introduced himself, and stored that bit of information in the back of her mind. 'Kazuma, huh? Well, at least he seems nice…but what does he want here?' she still questioned to herself mentally. Did he really come all this way just to track her down? And if so, why?

Her thoughts were interrupted by his rough voice. "I can sense you, spirit. You were following me and my friends earlier, the thing I want to know, is why?" he said in a low tone, looking to the slightly shadowed outline of the spirit. He could sense her and since his own spiritual powers had grown, he could make out a form, and was surprised to see now that the spirit whom he was intrigued about, was a girl.

Kagome held in a gasp. How could he see her? Opening her mouth to reply, she quickly closed it, before whispering softly, "Can you hear me?"

Kuwabara only heard silence as he looked to the girl, before he said softly, "If you are scared, you can trust me, I won't hurt you." He said, his tone much more gentle now that he knew it was a girl, and her aura didn't convey anything that would make him fear or worry.

The miko bit her lower lip. He couldn't hear her, so how was she supposed to talk with him? She really was interested in him and his friends, and she loathed the inability to express herself to anyone who wasn't dead. "I'm not scared." She said, even though she knew he couldn't hear her. She hoped that he could at least feel that she was okay with his presence and questions. She wasn't disappointed.

Suddenly, a thought hit the spirit detective. She couldn't speak directly to him, she was in a position like Yusuke was before he was brought back to life. Remembering back, he recalled that the young toushin had talked to him while he was asleep. He could talk to this girl the same way, if she wanted to. "If you want to talk to me, you can do it when I sleep." He blushed lightly, thinking of some pretty girl sleeping near him, before he added, "You can visit me in my dreams."

Kagome blinked. Was he serious?! Surprise and hope flooded her as she became excited. She could actually do that? How did he know? Could she trust him? Those questions, and more remained unanswered except the last: she felt she could trust him, so she nodded, actually smiling a little now.

He could feel her aura spike with new emotions and he smiled a bit. She wanted to talk with him, and that was something he was glad for. Gesturing in her direction for her to follow him, he moved away from the shrine, and to the steps, leading her away so he could go to his sister's apartment, slightly anxious to talk to the girl. He had a feeling that she was going to be special, like Yusuke was. For some reason, he felt that she was there on business, and not pleasure.

Following him quietly, Kagome's ethereal heart started to pound. This would be the first time she had talked to anyone since the beginning of her ordeal, anyone in the Ningenkai, that is, and she was slightly nervous. What could she actually tell him without him freaking out? Taking a deep breath, she watched the back of his head. He had demon friends with him, so that would make things a little simpler, but still, her story was a nearly unbelievable one.

Shaking her thoughts away, she focused on him right now. He was curious about her, just as much as she was about him and his friends. She hoped they would get along, and maybe, just maybe, she could begin to dig out of this lonely hole she had dug for herself.

Arriving at the apartment, Kuwabara walked in, glad to note that his sister was out for the moment. "It isn't much, but it's home." He said, knowing full well that the spirit girl could hear him, as he gestured to the small, cluttered apartment him and his sister shared.

She just smiled, relaxing a bit. It was nice, small, but it had a cozy feel to it, that brought her a little peace. She had thought that one day, should she return to this era, that she would own an apartment similar to this one, and finish high school and go to college. She briefly wondered if any of those ambitions of hers would come to pass. At this point in time, some of those things seemed not so important anymore.

Watching as he back to the bathroom, her chauffeur disappeared, and the sound of running water could be heard. Waiting patiently in the living room, she looked over pictures that were on the wall. A young brown haired girl held a small bundle in her arms with flaming orange hair. Smiling softly, Kagome deduced that this was the boy's sister, and they seemed to get along well. More pictures of beach scenes, school graduations, and others briefly drew her attention, before she saw one photo that had her heart aching. It wasn't the content of the picture so much, as the symbolism it had to her.

A group of people were standing all together in a park it seemed, and each one held a smile on their face except for the shorter demon with spiky black hair. All four of the boys she had seen today were there, as well as the boy's sister, another brown haired girl, a cerulean haired girl, and two people that she certainly did not expect to see. Botan and Koenma were in the picture too. Mouth open, she moved closer to make sure, before confirming it. How did this boy know them? Did they actually come to the Ningenkai often? Did they have friends here? By this picture she would assume so, and she wondered how they did it. Balancing their hectic jobs and still managing to have a normal life.

She tried not to think on it too much, but failed. She tried to have a normal life and help save the Senkoku Jidai as well, and everyone saw how well that turned out. She failed school, barely completed the Shikon, and then, she died. Tearing her eyes away from the photo, she felt that Kazuma was back from the bathroom and refused to look up at him. Maybe it was better if she stayed out of his life. She couldn't even keep her own in check, and with the Shikon not wished upon and still hidden within her now healed body, he was in danger being near her, no matter what demon friends he had.

Kuwabara had been watching her for a couple of minutes now, watching as her astral head was pointed at one of his favorite photos. What was it that held her attention so? The longer she stared at it, the more her aura projected sadness, dejection and despair. What had made all this come forth? He walked up near her, holding up a hand shakily at first, before stilling as he "placed" it above where her shoulder would be.

"It's alright. Whatever it is, you can tell me." He spoke quietly, trying to be comforting. Already, he felt a bond growing with the spirit, and hoped she would not turn him away.

Sniffling, tears raced down her face. He was so nice, and he knew nothing about her. He was already trying to offer her comfort, and she could feel his hand ghostly near her shoulder. She wished she were real, and not some spirit form. She wanted to answer him, but the limits prohibited her from doing that, so she settled for a wash of calming energy as response.

She felt him take in a sharp breath, before calming, as she turned to face him. He looked stunned, and maybe a bit intrigued. However, he was also smiling, and that warmed the miko's heart.

"I'm going to bed now, so, maybe I'll see you then." He said softly, nodding. The girl was so close to him now, and he had never really been this close to a spirit before except for Yusuke. This was different, because he could see her and feel her emotions. Even without a flesh and bone body, she drew his attention like nothing else.

Moving away from her, he headed back to his bedroom, slipping out of his pants and shirt into a clean pair of shorts and a t-shirt to sleep in. He snuggled underneath his cover and as soon as his head hit the pillow, he started to drift, the strain on his body from the previous demon battle allowing him to quickly succumb to darkness.

Kagome waited for a few minutes while she gathered her thoughts, and gave him time to fall asleep. She felt comfortable in his presence, and he seemed like a really good person, like Miroku, however, unlike Miroku, he didn't seem to have any of the lecherous monk's hentai ways.

Slipping through Kazuma's doorway, she looked around to the dim atmosphere of his room. A computer monitor set upon his desk, and his room was cluttered with clothes, some in terrible need of repair, and video games and systems. Seemed he was a gamer, and that put him on her "to-like" list. It reminded her of her little brother.

Shifting over the floor, she sat quietly on the edge of his bed, before frowning, not sure how to reach him in his dreams. Did she say some special spell or something. "Mou, you should have left me directions, Kazuma." She whispered, and as she did, everything changed. Suddenly, she was sitting in a white void in the middle of nowhere it seemed, before there was a field of flowers that materialized under her feet.

Blinking widely, she spun around quickly, trying to take in all of her surroundings. A familiar voice stopped her slight panic. "Wow, you're really pretty…"

Freezing, she turned slowly, before taking in Kazuma's form, and she blushed prettily. It had been a long time since someone called her pretty, and it caught her off guard. "H-hi…" she replied shyly, walking closer to him and taking a seat on one of large boulders in the clearing.

"You could hear me the whole time, couldn't you." He stated rather than questioned, as he took in the girl's form. She was stunning, really, with long raven hair, and sparkling eyes, she was easily prettier than Keiko, though she could give Yukina a run for her money.

Nodding softly, the miko didn't say anything for a moment, before she spoke up. "My name is Kagome Higurashi."

His eyes widened slightly as he leaned forward. "Like the shrine?"

She nodded, before saying, "That was my mother that you were talking to, today. I was there to relax, because, well, I didn't know I could talk to people this way, and I don't want to talk to Botan anymore. She left me here while she went back to see Koenma." They all knew each other; she gathered that from the picture.

"How long have you been, well…you know…" he asked, hating to sound so nosy, but really wanting to know more about the girl.

"Over two months." She replied softly, her hands clutching into her school-girl skirt lightly. Why she was in this particular outfit in this dream world, she didn't know, but that was insignificant right now.

"She didn't seem distraught at all…she's handling it well." He replied, noticing how Kagome had suddenly stiffened up.

"She…she doesn't know. And she can't know!" she added quickly, getting to her feet. "I'm coming back, Koenma is helping me, and I don't want her to know I died, I don't want her to feel any pain over me…" her voice softened as she trailed off. "She had done too much for me. I do not want her to suffer anymore than she already has."

Kuwabara remained silent a moment before nodding. "So, what happened to you? How did you die, and how does she not know already? Two months is a long time, Kagome." He asked, curious. Koenma was helping her? She probably had one of those spirit egg thingies like Yusuke had, but that was also something insignificant. It seemed this girl had many, many secrets, and was actually quite alone. Dead without anyone but Botan to talk to for over two months? How did she not go crazy?

Her head quickly snapped up, instantly looking like a deer caught in headlights. How was she supposed to tell him about her past? Shaking her head, she said, "Not yet. You first. I want to know about you and your friends. They're demons, aren't they." She stated the fact easily. If he tried to deny it, she would refute his claims.

Now it was his turn to look like a deer in headlights, as he bolted up. "How the hell do you know that?!" he shouted out lightly, shocked.

She grinned softly, before taking her seat back. She wasn't losing her touch, and it was a good feeling to know that there were still demon's walking in the Ningenkai, and that they weren't all forced to stay in the Makai. While her and Botan talked of many things, she didn't actually learn anything about the Makai, or the Spirit Realm, or anything of that nature. It was frustrating to the miko simply because she had contact with demons in the past, and had strong ties to them. She wanted to see if she could still retain ties with demons. Call her crazy, because hell, she was when it came to her miko "duties" and what her actual policies were, but she liked being around them. Maybe it was just her friends that she liked, or the actual thought of befriending creatures that could kill her without a second thought, but she didn't want to be left alone in the Ningenkai, without anyone near who understood her struggles and thoughts concerning the past and the demons she was around.

After a moments silence, Kuwabara fell heavily down to his rock. "You really are as special as I thought." He muttered to himself, earning a small look from Kagome. "What do you mean?" she asked, as she looked to him curiously.

"My friend, Yusuke, the one with the dark short hair that was with me today, he went through something similar that you are going through now. By chance, did you get a spirit egg from Koenma?" he asked.

Nodding, she pulled it out so he could see it. It was glowing slightly, and she smiled, patting it gently as it did. That, in her mind, meant it was healthy, and she hoped she could get through this ordeal without complication. Kuwabara recognized it, and smiled. 'Yeah, just like Yusuke.'

"He was revived by going through that same ordeal, and that's why he's alive today. We met our other friends when he became a spirit detective." He informed her, relaxing a little now as stories were starting to be told.

"Spirit detective? What's that?" she asked, putting the small egg away as she focused on him.

"It's someone who fights demons who start breaking Reikai law. Demons who cross over the barrier and start making trouble here in the human realm, and those who are being just a pain." He answered, gauging her facial expressions for some sort of disbelief, but finding none.

She took his answer easily. He had no reason to lie to her, and his explanation made sense. Of course they would need a special "police" in order to keep the Ningenkai safe. No matter how many friends she made in the past, there were just as many enemies, and some demons were just illogical and evil; like Naraku. "Are you a detective too? And how about those other demons that were with you?" she asked, engaged in the conversation.

He nodded in affirmation. "Those other two you saw me with, Kurama, he was the red head, and Hiei, the shorty of the group…" he smirked momentarily, "…are my friends too, and part of our small group of fighters. We work for Koenma, and he informs us when something's wrong, or some artifact is being misused for evil. We step in and take down the bad guys, and save the day!" he said, puffing out his chest. It was an important job, and he took great pride in being able to be part of the team that saved the world and beat up the bad guys.

She giggled softly. He looked goofy just then, but really, it gave her a glimpse about his true nature. He was honorable, and strong, and even more so, he was a proud creature. It seemed he was a little like Inuyasha, and that made her a little fonder of him. At her giggle he stopped and looked at her. "How did you know they were demons though? Normal humans can't distinguish human from demon, so how were you able to?" he asked, now putting her in the spotlight.

Worrying her bottom lip slowly, she took a breath, before saying, "Because, I'm a miko, and I had demon friends in my past life."

Silence filled the clearing a moment, before he said, "Tell me more."

A/N: Mou! Sorry to cut it short like that, but it's getting long and I want to speed this up a bit. However, I wanted to bring Kazuma into the story as more than just a back-up character, and I hope I did him justice. :-)

Well, hope you liked it! Please read and review, onegai shimasu!

Kudos, loves!

Sayuri-chan


	3. Shelter From the Truth

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners and I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: I love the response I am getting and am very pleased to have a story that's even got my attention. Not that my others will go unnoticed, but this one really has me excited. I've also taken into account the responses for a Hiei/Kagome story and Kuwabara/Kagome story. Not sure what I'm going to do in that department, but meh, I shall think about it. Maybe the muses will let me know what they have planned. :- ) In the meantime, here's another chapter for you all. Enjoy!

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 3: Shelter from the Truth

Kagome fell silent after an hour of talking and explaining. Kazuma had had many questions and she tried to answer them all as best she could, from Kikyou's "re-birth" by the evil witch Urasuwe, to her friends Sango and Miroku and their pasts. He wanted to know it all it seemed, but she didn't mind, in fact, she was rather glad. At least he believed her, and didn't condemn her for dying in the end. She was never strong or smart like Kikyou, yet she managed just as the priestess did in the end-to protect the jewel in death.

She didn't mention that to him, but concentrated on his freshest question. "What are you going to do now? I mean, do you know if that well works or not anymore?" he asked.

Looking up she shook her head. "I don't think it does, but even if it did, I wouldn't go back. How would you feel if you lost your friend and they came back from the dead?"

"I can tell you exactly how it feels. I was pissed off at first, when I found out Yusuke was still alive. I…" his voice faltered a moment before he said in a softer voice. "When I found out he was dead, I cried. It was like, someone had hit me over and over in the stomach, like it wasn't real. And Keiko, Keiko was so upset, she couldn't believe it either…" he trailed off.

Kagome fell silent, waiting for him to continue, she didn't know what else to say. She hadn't really had an experience where she lost someone dear to her, other than her father, and she was young when that happened. Standing from her rock, she moved over to sit beside the boy she had quickly befriended, before placing a gentle arm around him. Apparently in this dream world of his, she could touch him. "I'm sorry for bringing it up…I'm glad for you, that he was able to be brought back." She said softly, looking up at his face.

Kazuma blinked, forcing down a blush as she placed an arm around him. He wasn't used to physical contact of the gentle nature, and had to admit, it was nice. She wasn't calling him weak for admitting his tears, or condemning him for his feelings, like his friends often did. He knew they were only teasing him, but still, it was nice to be able to share his true thoughts with someone. Slowly, he wrapped his arm around her in a gentle hug. "It's alright, and, I'm glad too, that he got another chance…and you."

She smiled at those words, leaning her head against him. "I am too, now."

"Now?" he asked curiously.

She stiffened lightly in his arm, before saying softly, "I didn't know if I really wanted to come back, because, I'm alone here. 'No one else would be able to talk to me about my past.' I thought. Until I met you, I didn't know if demons even existed in this world, or if they were permanently separated from humans, and I didn't know if I really wanted to face that existence, my existence, alone."

He took in her words, and forced down the urge to hug her tightly and never let go. She was nice, and amazing, and strong, and, just, he had never met anyone like her before, and she seemed to be as lonely as he was. Finally finding his voice, he said, "I'm glad you're taking up Koenma on his offer. I would have hated not meeting you." He smiled softly, giving her a gentle squeeze.

Blinking, she looked back up to his face, before smiling. "Me too."

Silence filled the clearing again as the two enjoyed the peacefulness of his dream, before she spoke up. "I should probably go now, and let you rest. Don't worry though, I'll come back and visit. I have some things to do for Botan though, and she trusts me to get them done."

He nodded quietly, before saying, "Alright, Kagome, I guess I'll see you later then. Let me know how it's going, okay? I want to make sure I'm there when you wake up." He smiled, standing before helping her to stand.

She looked up to him before grinning. "Alright, but you'll have to go to the Reikai. That's where my body is being held until I'm revived." He was an amazing person, and would be one of her new friends. Life was starting to look up for her, and it made a bit of that spark that she had for life come back and shine in her eyes.

"No problem. And Kagome, be careful, okay? I'm not sure what can hurt you, being a spirit and all, but still." He shrugged.

She nodded before saying softly, "I will. Goodnight, and sleep well, Kazuma." She briefly heard his reply of "goodnight" before she was back in his dark room, sitting on the edge of his bed as she had been doing before she went into his dream. She giggled softly at the look on his face. He was smiling softly and seemed to be at peace. That warmed her heart. Patting his forehead softly, she stood, and moved to leave his apartment, pulling out the folder Botan had given her. It would be a long night, but at least she had a bit of a spring in her step now.

Kurama and Hiei quietly ate dinner at a small restaurant in town, enjoying their time off from missions. Contrary to popular belief, Hiei didn't mind going out with his companions, he only acted like it. His life had taken a definite turn for the better since he stole the Shadow Sword with Kurama and Gouki. He was glad that Yusuke had disposed of the other thick skinned demon, and helped him and Kurama find different paths for their lives. He was also glad that the spirit detective had helped rescue his sister, whom still, to this day, didn't know that Hiei was her twin brother. The detective had become someone he could trust with his life, and he was amazed little by little at how much Yusuke proved him how valuable some relationships are.

Kurama watched the little hi-youkai eat, keeping his own thoughts to himself for now. The fire apparition really had changed in the past few years, and he was glad for those changes. He wondered though if maybe the hi-youkai wanted more. He seemed content with their friends and allies, and just being alive, as long as his sister was safe and happy, the fire apparition seemed to care less, however, he wondered if Hiei wanted something more tangible, such as a relationship of the romantic kind. He could hardly imagine the demon being romantic with anyone, but that didn't mean that the demon didn't think about taking a mate or having a female companion. He actually didn't know what Hiei's thoughts were on that kind of relationship, though Youko was constantly on –his- back to find someone to be with. However, he refused to be with one of the ordinary girls that threw themselves at him. He wanted someone who saw him for him, and not just another form of Youko, and someone who could actually carry on a conversation with him without stuttering and passing out. Sometimes, simple things like those were so hard to find.

Hiei looked over to his kitsune friend, wondering what was on his mind. He was unusually quiet tonight for some reason, and he wasn't sure why. Usually, he carried on conversation and Hiei listened and sometimes commented on things he thought. Their relationship was unique and he wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. The kitsune understood him and knew him more than anyone else in their little rag-tag group, and that was the way he liked it. He was a very secretive demon, and didn't like others knowing about him or his past, for fear of a weakness being found and used against him and his sister, Yukina. She was his main objective and his main priority forevermore, and he would never let her suffer again like she had with Tarukane. However, this silence was a bit unnerving tonight, and he finally broke it by saying in a quiet tone, "Fox, what's bothering you?"

Blinking at the sudden question, Kurama looked over to Hiei, before sighing softly. "I was just thinking, about a lot of things." He took another bite of his food while Hiei questioned, "Like what?"

Apparently the little fire apparition was talkative tonight, and Kurama was kind of glad he was opening up further each day. "Like that spirit we felt earlier today. I am almost positive that it was putting off holy energy, but it didn't feel malicious. I do wonder thought why it was following us." He commented, taking a drink of his wine.

Hiei frowned. The fox had a point. The spirit had slipped from his mind and he hadn't let it bother him too much, however, obviously the red-head had thought much on the spirit Kuwabara had felt. "True, fox. Perhaps it was just a monk or miko who was heading into the after life, though I'm not sure if it departed. It was still unusual. That baka seemed worried about it, though." He replied, thinking back on Kuwabara's reaction to the spirit.

"Perhaps, but I suppose we won't really know unless it shows up again." He shrugged his shoulders. Actually, he kind of wished it would, just to give a little excitement to their lives. Missions were all the same, being that demons were stirring up trouble, and they had to stop them, but dealing with spirits was something different.

Hiei almost smirked. The fox was obviously bored and wanted something different to do. He went back to his food and finished it, before standing. "Well, I'll be going now." He said simply as he put down the money to pay for his share of the meal and left without a goodbye. Kurama didn't mind, because it was the way he always was. At least he didn't leave this time without saying anything.

Kurama finished his meal too, before heading out and going to his mother's apartment. He was in the process of finding his own place, but for the moment, he was staying with her. Unlocking his door, he walked in quietly and headed for his room, glad that no one was home. He took a shower and moved to sit on his bed only clad in a pair of sweats, working on brushing out his long, red hair. It took a lot of work to keep it looking great, but he wouldn't cut it for anything, not that Youko would let him anyway.

Kagome snuck in quietly to an apartment building, coming to the number she was supposed to check out. There was a child held to the world of the living because of anger, and there were problems with new tenants and such because of that vengeful spirit. She hoped it would not come down to almost being taken into hell, like with a cute little girl she knew. She hoped that little girl was getting along well in heaven.

It wasn't long before she found the little boy. He was killed because of abuse, and wanted to make sure he was remembered, so that maybe others would be good to their children. As often as a large blood stain was removed from the carpeting in the room he died in, it came back with a vengeance. The landlord even took all the carpeting out, but the stain became part of the hardwood floor. If they tried to cover it with a rug, the rug became stained with blood. After talking things over with the boy, he agreed that making things harder for others wasn't nice, but that he would watch over children and try and help them if they were abused. At that point, Kagome suggested he talk with Koenma, and see if the demi-god could help him in his quest, and maybe work with Botan, like she was. Then, he departed for the Reikai, and she closed up his file, which instantly vanished to go to the spirit realm.

As she turned to leave, she slipped through a wall, not realizing where she was going, and ended up in another room. Looking up, she blinked, and promptly freaked. She was in one of those boy's rooms from earlier today, and he was half naked!

Kurama looked up at the sudden chill in the room. A spirit was here, and his mind instantly flashed to this afternoon. Was it the same one? One quick assessment of the aura and it was confirmed. The holy energy was the deciding factor for him. Lazily, Youko poked up in the back of his mind. 'What's going on, Red?' he voiced, his own aura feeling out for the strange spirit that was in the room with him and his avatar.

'That spirit is back. It really was following us after all.' He replied mentally, his eyes trained on the concentration of spirit that was deathly still in his room, right next to his desk. "What do you want, spirit?" he asked, his tone firm.

That only made Kagome shake more. 'Damn, damn, damn! He isn't like Kazuma, he can only sense me, and he's not asleep, damn it, damn it, damn it!' she cursed to herself, not sure how to proceed in this situation.

Suddenly, she heard a voice in her head say, 'What do you want with us?' The voice was soft, and silky smooth, making her almost melt, should she have not been so worked up to begin with. 'W-who are you?' she replied shakily, not moving from her spot, however, the owner of that voice, and the boy, both heard her thought. Youko's kitsune abilities were at work, and Kurama was glad, at least now they could get some answers.

'Youko Kurama, Miss Spirit. Now I will ask you again, what do you want with us?' he asked again, trying to keep his irritation down. It was a girl's voice he heard, so it was a little easier to bare.

'I don't want anything with you, it's just, I felt you were a demon, and was curious, that's all. Honest!' she babbled, trying to calm down.

Youko sighed softly. It would be difficult to converse with her while she was in this state. She was obviously a human spirit, with holy powers, but she seemed to be telling the truth. 'Calm down, we won't hurt you. What is your name?' he tried a gentler approach, aware that Shuichi was keeping quiet as he listened in on their conversation.

Kagome blinked a moment before worrying her lower lip. They wanted to know her name? Would they go after her mother and brother? Maybe just her first name then… "Kagome. My name is Kagome." She replied softly, her panicked aura calming slightly.

'Well, Kagome, it's nice to meet you. I do wonder though, how you knew I was a demon. Shuichi looks every bit the human, but you could sense me in here. How?' he questioned, his voice curious.

She paled. 'Were you absorbed by him? Why are you inside him?' instantly she got on the defensive, going to try and help the poor spirit if that should be the case. The thought reminded her too much of Naraku.

Now it was his turn to be curious. First she feared him, now she sounded protective, and wondered strange things about him. He decided to put her fears to rest, but was now exponentially more interested in the young girl. 'No, I haven't been absorbed by Shuichi. I share this body with him. It is him who protects me, and I who protect him.' He informed her.

Kagome breathed a sigh of relief. So it was a mutual friendship, it seemed. She could feel the demon's curious aura and glanced up to the boy, who seemed just as curious. What was going on? 'He can hear me too?' she asked, hoping the demon was still willing to talk to her.

'Yes, he can, and he's most curious about you, Kagome. I think our first question is, what is that energy that you're emitting? Are you a miko? Is that how you can tell I'm a demon?' he asked, managing to keep calm. Already his warning bells were going off at the energy. She could easily purify him and that would be bad. Very bad. Not just for him, but for Shuichi.

She nodded softly, though he couldn't see her. 'I am, though, not a conventional one.' She smiled weakly.

'Oh? How so?' he asked, his curiosity raised again.

'I don't like to purify demons on first meeting. Otherwise, I don't know who I'm going to meet.' She replied softly, smiling a little now. Should she have known she was a miko, and did just that, Inuyasha would cease to exist right now, and that was a sad prospect to think about. She could feel the confusion pour off of the demon, and she shook her head before elaborating. 'I had demon friends in my past life. So, I don't want to purify you or your friend.'

Shuichi looked like a fish at her, as did Youko. He couldn't feel any deceit from her aura, and that could only mean she was telling the truth. How was that possible? All of her kind was supposed to destroy demons, no matter what, and this girl, had befriended them? It was a concept that was most difficult to grasp. 'She is serious, isn't she.' Shuichi spoke to Youko, a thought that was replied to in the affirmative.

Kagome stood uneasily for a moment, watching the two, and hoping they would say something, anything, to fill the silence. 'Why are you here now?' Youko finally asked, directing his attention back to the girl.

'I was helping a vengeful child's spirit crossover for Botan. It's all part of my ordeal.' She said softly, hoping that they would understand. Though she learned a little about him from Kazuma, she still didn't know much about him, and even less about this spirit inside him.

'Botan? Why? And how do you know the ferry girl?' he quickly asked, his attention peaked.

'Because she asked me to help her, and I know her because I'm working with her and Koenma to get my life back.' She replied, briefly wondering if she would have to explain herself all over again to this new person.

He seemed to take that in for a long moment before he replied, 'Just a moment, I have to converse with Shuichi.'

Kagome shifted uneasily on her feet as she watched the boy seemingly talk to himself, though he didn't say anything, and that made her a little more nervous.

Quickly the two talked about this girl, and Kurama recalled Yusuke telling him about his ordeal that he went through to get his life back. He also mentioned that no ordinary spirit would know about Botan –and- Koenma, so he deduced she was telling the truth, or telling them a very elaborate lie.

Turning their attention to her, she straightened up quickly, worrying at her bottom lip again, wondering what they would say.

'You never answered me fully, Kagome. What is it you want with us? Besides your curiosity to be sated?' he added with a sly grin.

She blushed lightly before stammering out, 'Really, that was it…I…was glad to see there were still demon's in this time.' As she said that she gasped, before stepping backwards. 'Forget I said that!' she said quickly, waving out her hands in front of her.

Both kitsune avatar and spirit blinked at her. What did she mean by "in this time"? Wrapping his aura lightly around his counterpart, Youko shifted to get a better look at the spirit they were in contact with. Too bad he wasn't a spiritualistic medium, or he could actually see her, for now, all he could see was a light white outline of where she was standing near Shuichi's desk.

Kurama stood so Youko could get a better look at the silvery white mass in his room, and he briefly wondered what was going through her mind right now, but as Shuichi stood, Kagome stepped back, her eyes widening. What was he doing? Fearfully, she looked to him, not sure what he was going to do, and not wanting to take a chance of getting hurt. She knew basically nothing about this person and demon and she really wanted to come back to life now. She didn't know what kind of powers he had or if he was a malicious person or not. Looks could be deceiving, as she had learned so many times first hand in the Senkoku Jidai.

Youko could quickly detect a change in her aura, and blinked before saying, 'Shuichi, stop! She's scared of us, so don't go any closer!' while he said to her, 'Don't worry, we won't hurt you. I'm not sure there's a way to hurt a spirit, but I promise you that we won't harm you.'

Kagome stopped her retreating footwork, wondering if she could trust them or not. Her caring nature wanted to trust them unconditionally, but she could only guess that because her situation was so precarious, it was making her think differently. Trying to calm her racing heart, she moved back to her original spot by his desk, and started to shift on her feet again, waiting for him to break the unnaturally heavy silence that surrounded them.

'Kagome, if it's not too personal, may I ask how you died?' Youko spoke up, curious about this young spirit, and also wondering what was so special about her that Koenma and Botan knew her and were willing to help her come back to life. There had to be a reason, or the demi-god wouldn't bother. Yusuke was a special case, and he figured that this girl was special too, the only question was how.

An uneasy silence filled the kitsune spirit's mind, before she replied softly, "I…wasn't strong enough…or pretty enough…or smart enough…" quietly, he watched as her form sat on the floor, leaning against one of the walls in Shuichi's room. He wondered what she meant by that.

Kagome was losing her bit of resolve that was recently gained. Suddenly, being asked how she died by this demon, made her think about the circumstances leading up to her demise. If Inuyasha had not gone running to Kikyou's un-dead clay form, he would have still been fighting, and they maybe, could have won the battle without her death. Shaking her head fiercely, she hissed to herself, 'Quit thinking selfishly! He was never yours, so forget about it!'

As she sat there, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the little spirit egg she was nurturing, watching it glow slowly. Suddenly, it started to warm up, heating up to the point of burning, if she were in human form, that is. Standing quickly, she looked to Shuichi and Youko, her eyes wide as she looked back to the egg, seeing it darken to a deep blood red. Before she could say anything, a sharp, piercing pain ripped through her body, making her feel more pain than even Naraku had inflicted on her. She could only scream as she was pulled from the room, her hand clutched around the small spirit egg for dear life, and her spiritual form feeling as if it were being torn apart.

Youko looked to her as she spoke to herself, peering again over at the girl. She was confusing him, and he would rather she just tell him what was going on, instead of talking to herself. A bit of irritation swept through the kitsune, but before he could say anything more, Kagome's scream filled his head. He watched as her astral form disappeared through the window, leaving him and Shuichi dumbfounded.

"What the hell just happened?" Shuichi whispered aloud.

'I don't know, but it looked as if she was heading for the Reikai, maybe we should go check it out?' he suggested, somewhat interested, but not so much that he would rush to her aide. He barely knew her, and it wasn't any of their business. However, Shuichi was more than a little freaked at her sudden departure, and her scream continued to echo in his head.

"We have to go then! She may need our help!" he exclaimed, jumping up.

'Do you even hear yourself, Red? She's a SPIRIT…how can you help her?' he rolled his eyes at his counterpart. Normally, they got along well, but other times Shuichi's human nature was just annoying…like right now.

"I don't know, but if we don't even try than I would feel bad. She was nice, to both of us, and she seemed upset and scared. Even if you don't want to find out what happened, I do!" he countered, before throwing on a shirt and flipping open his communicator. He didn't expect to see the scene he was given a glimpse of.

Botan looked disheveled as she hastily snapped, "What is it?!"

Eyes widening, he spoke quickly. "Botan?! What's going on there?"

Her eyes finally focused to see who it was before she broke down into tears right there over the communicator. "The girl's body…she was trying so hard too…and Koenma promised to take care of it…there are bodies everywhere…doctors and nurses…" she was rambling, the situation finally getting to the spirit woman.

Facial features hardening, he said, "Open a portal Botan, I want to see what's going on."

A/N: Sorry for the cliffy, but I wanted to get this one up for you all. Please Read/Review. It makes my muses happy.

Kudos!

Sayuri-chan


	4. Shelter from Myself

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: Oh wow, people, the response is overwhelming and makes me feel all squishy inside! Not to mention my muses, who are like, "OMG!!" So, here's another chapter, and I'm keeping in mind character pairings, so we'll see what happens, ne? And just to assure those who are worried about this being a Kazuma/Kagome pairing, don't worry. One has to have the right frame of mind for that pairing, and I have no intention of making this such a story.

Some events of this chapter takes place before the events at the end of chapter three.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 4: Shelter from Myself

Koenma rubbed his head gently as he sat in his large office, paperwork piled up on his desk as George carried in stack after stack of new paperwork to add to the already growing towers. So much work was on his plate right now that it was making him irritable, and very cranky. Even for a toddler.

However, one thought seemed to be able to clear his traitorous thoughts of escaping away from the job for awhile, and that was the girl that was fighting so hard to come back to life. He had researched as much as he was able to about the Shikon no Tama, and even went so far as to get answers from two of her former human comrades, Sango and Miroku. Their spirits were more than happy to give him all of the information he eagerly sought, starting with how she came to be in the Senkoku Jidai in the first place: by falling through the Bone Eater's well on the property where she lived.

Some of the stories they shared with him were just unbelievable. How she could mother an orphaned kitsune kit, befriend an inu-hanyou, and single handedly take down one of Feudal Era Japan's most feared demons was incomprehensible. However, their stories were true, all of them, even down to the final moments of her life, where she sacrificed her life for the inu-hanyou.

Again he wondered what she had done in her past life to deserve so much sorrow and responsibility that seemed to be thrown at her at every turn. Fifteen years old was no age to be running around in an era full of demons, when the most difficult issues she should have had to deal with would be high school and dating.

Standing from his plush chair, he once again pulled out her slightly incomplete file. He had gotten a lot of information from the souls of her friends, and was surprised to find he had more information on her than he normally had on special cases like her. Yusuke was the son of a prominent demon for kami's sake, and he had no idea, until it came to light later in his life.

Reading over the comments and looking over the picture, he had to admit that while troubled in her life, she still found the ability to smile. Her pure soul radiated even in her pictures, and he was glad that he was able to help her in some small way. His father was already against him helping yet another human get their life back in such a short amount of time, but he didn't care what his father said, at least on this matter. The girl was important not only as protector of the Shikon no Tama, but as the last of a long line of powerful mikos, she would be needed to continue the line, and keep the Shikon in pure hands.

He set her file aside and started to get back to work. While he wished to think more on the girl, he had more pressing matters to attend to, like the overwhelming stacks of paperwork now littering his desk.

However, he had no idea that trouble was brewing in the medical wing of the Reikai, involving said girl's body in question.

No one had anticipated the Shikon's negative reaction to Kagome's soul being separated from her body, and least of all the Reikai spirit leader, until it was too late. Unfortunately, Hiei was on his way to see Koenma when he was quickly drawn into the fray that was rapidly becoming a massacre.

The little hi-youkai was on his own today, having been summoned by Botan for a quick mission in the Makai. It was nothing tragic, he had been told, and so he went as ordered, taking care of a small problem that was attempting to get out of hand. He was on his way to Koenma's office when he heard the screams and felt pulse after pulse of energy coming from a close part of the castle where he was.

Ignoring his better judgment, he swiftly moved towards the energy masses, taking note of the many ogres that were vacating the premises. What in the hell was going on? As he stepped into the room where the concentration of power was greatest, he got his answers…sort of.

Wide eyes took in the sight as a young girl's body floated precariously in the air above her bed. If anything she looked like a fallen angel, with her blue-black hair hanging down from her head, and her pale porcelain face devoid of any emotion. He could feel the pulses of energy becoming greater and quickly drew his katana. The energy was conflicting, a mix of demon energy and miko energy. Something was seriously wrong here, and even as the seconds passed, more and more ogre doctors and nurses came forward to try and bring the girl's body back down and restrain it. However, the girl would have none of that, or rather, her body wouldn't, as pure holy energy lashed out at the nearby ogres, quickly purifying them.

'Or at least enough to stop their attempts to touch her.' Hiei thought darkly, seeing an arm being quickly purified from one doctor, making a gush of blood add to the chaos already in the room.

A few more moments passed, and the pulses of energy became stronger, this time setting up a thin veiled barrier around her and her bed, pushing back the nurses and doctors even further, while taking out a few more with the energy released. More blood was spilled as it coated the floor, pooling out from the freshly dead bodies. Eyes narrowing, Hiei's Jagan flared to life, surging forward towards the girl and the barrier, inspecting every inch of it to try and find a weakness or someway to counter it to stop the bloodshed. Were it any other situation or circumstance, he probably wouldn't give a damn, but the girl was killing off Reikai officials right and left, and she was still seemingly asleep. Looking up, he saw a spirit being pulled forcibly into the room by an invisible force, and once again, his confusion and irritation spiked. What in the hell was going on here? Who was this girl? Growling, he quickly sliced through her ghostly form, not knowing of her feelings, or thoughts, or even of her pain. In his mind, the only thing he could think was, this had to stop, and now, however, he had not anticipated what happened next, and had the girl's spirit not thought quickly, he would no longer be alive.

Kagome screamed as she was ripped from the Ningenkai to the Reikai, her spirit egg burning into her ethereal hand, glowing blood red as she clutched it in her hand. She had no idea what was happening, but she was terrified. What was wrong, and why was she feeling so much pain? She was just a spirit, but it felt as if she were flesh and blood. Her nerves felt as if they were on fire, and as she zipped through the halls of Reikai castle, she barely noted that everyone else was fleeing away from her.

Forcing down the urge to scream again, she tried to focus on her situation at hand, trying to ignore the waves of pain that rushed over her. It felt as if someone was waging war on her soul itself, and she was losing.

As she floated through the chamber that held her body, she cried out in agony again, both from the pain, and the sight that beheld her. Bodies lay strewn around her hovering form, all of them still and lifeless, while others held stubs where limbs used to be. Recognizing the energy as her own miko powers, she rushed forward to try and do something; however, she was stopped in her tracks when another wave of pure pain gripped her. Crying out, she didn't notice the katana slicing down at her body, until she looked down and saw a blade sticking out through her ethereal form.

Hiei waited for something to happen, and happen it did. Kagome looked from the blade, to him, to her body as she tensed, the waves of energy that permeated the room stilling a fraction of a second. She didn't know how she knew, but she knew what was coming. The Shikon was at the center of all this, and something bad was going to happen. Gripping the spirit egg tighter, she turned to Hiei, and the others, shouting, "Run! Get away!" However, they were all fixated on her hovering body, and took no heed to her words, not that they could all hear her or see her anyway.

Rushing forward, Kagome's mind frantically tried to figure out a way to stop anyone else from getting hurt, and for a brief moment, a flash of a familiar face appeared in her mind, before she was thrown back towards Hiei, and as she did, surprise made her drop her spirit egg, but before she could worry about it breaking, her eyes flew to her human body.

Hiei froze as his eyes widened. The girl's body was glowing so brightly now that it was hard to look at it, but he watched as the spirit was thrown back towards him, just in time for an incomprehensible amount of energy to be released, decimating the area they were in, purifying all in its wake, and quickly killing all demonic creatures in the entire east wing of Reikai castle. Hiei's eyes closed quickly at the brilliant flash of light, and he waited to feel the sting of purification, the pain of death, or something else that would ring true with what he had just seen, but he felt nothing, but a slight uneasiness, as a gentle power enveloped him, caressing him in a soft, caring manner, making him pause with confusion and curiosity.

What was this power? It was as if it knew him, and wanted to sooth him in this distressing situation, but he didn't recognize it. It wasn't familiar to him, although it wasn't entirely unwelcome either. It was soothing to him, and to the conflicting elements within him. Hell, even his demonic spirit was content and that was rare, unless he had just had a particularly thrilling fight. He thought for a moment, that he had died, had been purified and was now crossing over through the realm of the living to the realm of the dead, but his fingers around his katana told him otherwise. He could still feel the warmth of the handle and the solid tiles of the floor beneath his feet.

Kagome's eyes slowly opened, squinting against the flash of light, as she tried to find out what in the hell just happened. A sob tore itself from her throat as she saw the bodies everywhere around her. As she turned, her breath caught, as she saw a lone body in the sea of blood and death. That boy from earlier today was standing there, eyes closed, and he looked to be puzzled, yet, he looked to be unharmed. Drifting forward, she reached out a sheer hand towards him.

"Are you alright?" she questioned softly, focusing on the one living thing around her. He had survived the blast of holy power, though he was a demon. She wanted to question how, but was more worried about him being okay, than questioning the fates.

Hiei heard a soft female voice echo in his head, and his eyes snapped open. Standing there in front of him was the same girl whose body was hovering in the air just moments ago. Glancing behind her, he saw her body lying limp on the bed, yet she was standing right here in front of him. 'Her spirit?' he questioned mentally, gripping his katana a little tighter.

This girl was familiar feeling, like the power that had enveloped him. Had she saved him? Was she the one to protect him from the holy blast? He shook those thoughts away. No way was a human strong enough to protect a demon like him from something like that, even if she was a miko herself. She didn't look strong enough to protect herself, so protecting him was out of the question…wasn't it? Especially if she was a miko—he was a demon, she wouldn't be protecting him at all, if anything, she would be the one delivering the final blow.

"Hn." He replied lightly, taking her appearance in. She looked disheveled, with her hair stuck up in odd places, and her body bloody and dirty. What surprised him most was the large hole that was in the center of her chest, with large stains of black acrid liquid pooling from the center. What was this that he was seeing? Surely she wouldn't be alive with those kinds of wounds. "You're bleeding, ningen." He spoke, wondering if she even noticed her appearance, and kind of wondering where she got those wounds to begin with. She was just a spirit. Nothing more.

Raising an eyebrow, she looked down, her eyes widening in shock and fear. It was the same place where Naraku had pierced her skin, and hesitantly she took her hand and brought it to her chest. She grimaced as she touched the place where her blood and poison flowed freely, though she felt nothing, she could almost see it spread to her hand, before it disappeared. Turning from him, she ran to her body, looking it over, before lifting her night shirt that was put on her by the doctors to look at the scar where the Shikon was imbedded into her body. The red scar that was there was now a putrid black and it seemed to be spreading. She couldn't help the anguished cry that escaped her lips.

Hiei looked up as Kagome's scream filled his ears. Moving over to her side, he looked down to the human body, frowning at the dark infection that was spreading from the side of her abdomen. What was going on here?

The wave of energy that had permeated the air around the Reikai leader didn't go unnoticed, and surprisingly, the first thought that reached him was that of the girl. Was her body okay? Was she? Koenma raced down the corridors of the East Wing, running into Botan midway and brought her along as well. He also changed into his teenage form, upon seeing body after body of his officials purified partially, leaving only body parts in pools of blood as evidence that they existed in the first place. What had happened? What was going on? These questions and more plagued his mind, and upon reaching the room that held her body, he was rendered speechless.

Amid the most concentrated mass of death he had seen yet, was Hiei, standing near the girl's body. Instantly, he got on the defensive, his eyes narrowing at the hi-youkai.

"What is the meaning of this, Hiei?!" he shouted out, holding out a hand to stop Botan from running inside the room.

"Hn. None of this was my doing." He replied listlessly, still looking down at the girl's body. The darkness that even now was spreading over her pale skin was disturbing, though he knew not why.

Raising an eyebrow, Koenma turned to look at the mess again. Hiei couldn't have done this much damage in the brief amount of time unless he had unleashed the Dragon of Darkness, and the power he had felt wasn't complete darkness. Hiei also didn't have any blood on his person, even further solidifying his innocence, but that left even more questions than answers.

That was when he noticed Hiei's gaze upon Kagome's body. What was he doing, looking at her unclothed like that? The hybrid didn't strike him as the hentai type, so he walked over, eyes widening at the black that was spreading out from her side. "Kagome!" he cried out, but knowing that she would not awake, however, the spirit Kagome felt calmer at seeing the spirit leader there.

"I don't know what's going on and I don't know why I'm looking like this!" she called out, more than slightly panicked.

Hiei tilted his head towards Kagome, before looking back to Koenma. He still didn't know how he had survived the blast of holy energy, but wasn't going to question it just yet. Everything was confusing and a little overwhelming at the moment. All he wanted to do was figure out what had happened, and seeing as how the Reikai brat knew more about this girl than he did, he would remain quiet for now.

Koenma looked up at her panicked scream, eyes widening as he saw how her spirit form was appearing. Normally, spirits took on the form of being completely healthy, though they were dead. Before, she appeared as her normal self, but now, she was looking as she had when she died. He couldn't explain it. It was beyond him, how had this happened? And what was going on? Looking back to Botan, he gestured her into the room.

"What is it you need, Koenma sama?" she asked softly, but a bit fearfully. Many of her comrades and acquaintances were now dead, and she didn't know why.

"Come here. There's a spirit I need you to try and contact, but it will take both our efforts." He replied quickly, not knowing she had called up Shuichi and Youko on the communicator and even opened a portal for him, while he and Hiei were trying to figure things out. He didn't expect to see the red head, or to see the expression he was wearing; one of fierce determination, and worry.

Kurama was dressed and ready to go as Botan appeared instantly in his room. She looked scared, and looked thoroughly worn as she opened a portal to the Reikai. He didn't bother to ask what was wrong. He didn't have to be an inu-demon to detect the massive amounts of blood and gore around him as she led him further and further into the East Wing.

Upon entering one of the rooms that Botan led him to, he paused, seeing Hiei. What was he doing here? Confusion swept over him before he saw something that made his heart plummet in his chest. The spirit girl he had just become familiar with was standing there, and she was standing near a body. Upon closer inspection he assumed this was her body, and something was seriously wrong. As Koenma spoke to Botan, his eyes darted to lock with the teenage demi-god's. What was he going to do?

Koenma gestured for the ferry girl to stand on the other side of Kagome's body, while she herself was wondering what they were doing. "Koenma, what's going on?" she asked, the question on the forefront of all their minds.

"We're going to talk to Midoriko. She will know better than anyone what is going on." He informed her, moving his hands above the inky black skin where the Shikon Jewel rested.

Her eyes widened as she stepped back. "Midoriko? Can you do that?!" she questioned loudly, unsure of how that would affect the Shikon, or her body.

"Yes, now quiet, Kagome. We need silence to concentrate." He replied a bit harsher than he would have liked, but he couldn't help it. It seemed as if the black that was spreading was also affecting her very fragile life force, as a cold sweat broke out on her body's forehead, and her breathing became labored.

Eyes widening, she looked to Hiei, and then to Kurama, though the kitsune couldn't see her as the hybrid could. She seemed on the verge of tears, but Hiei had no need to console her, or even to look at her, so he diverted his attention to the demi-god and Botan, ignoring her pleading looks of reassurance.

Youko could feel her uneasiness, but remained silent. Like before, he just did not care. Kurama however, could also feel her upset, and quietly said, "It'll be alright." Kagome looked up at his words, wondering how he knew she was worried, but then pushed the thought away. He was trying to comfort her though he didn't know her. It was a sweet gesture that helped sooth her a little, as she turned her attention to the two Reikai officials that were now glowing an unearthly red. The crimson waves flowed around them and through their hands that hovered above her body, before slowly descending into her skin.

She didn't know what was going to happen, and watched with baited breath, figuratively speaking, before a lone, wispy white soul rose from the inky darkness on her skin. She recognized the figure easily, and watched as the ancient miko materialized next to her own spirit form.

"Kagome, there are things I must tell only to you. Please listen." She said, her voice almost sagely as she spoke. Koenma and Botan both remained quiet, their hands held unwavering over the miko's body.

Listening intently, she nodded. "What's happening with my body? What happened just now?" she questioned, looking scared, and for once, completely helpless.

"Child, do not fear, all is not lost. But many problems have arisen from your death, young one. The first being of the Shikon." She replied, placing a gentle hand on the girl's shoulder. She wished things had been done differently, but because of the hanyou's diversion to the un-dead miko, time had been messed with, and it was a lesson he was about to learn, and pay for, dearly.

"Like what?" she questioned, interrupting the miko's thoughts.

"Like the demon's within, and the purity of the Shikon no Tama. Because your soul isn't within your body to keep it untainted, the demon souls have become stronger and are overpowering me, and darkening the jewel. It's becoming impure, and because of that, I had to try and take the upper hand. I released a lot of power in that blast, but it did the unexpected. Your body now holds the taint that was in the jewel. The only way to fix this is to purify your body ritualistically. Something easily done, but it is just a temporary fix. We need to get your soul back to your body." She answered, her voice and looks stern.

"I was working on this spirit egg thing…but then I dropped it…" she spoke quietly, feeling guilty. She couldn't do anything right it seemed. She died protecting the Shikon, and failed to even do a simple thing like hatch her spirit egg.

"Don't worry about that. If you had not dropped it, this demon here would have been purified. You and I both know that you would not have allowed that to happen. Your spirit would not have allowed him to die. If you would have hatched that egg, it would have devoured your soul." She informed her curtly, waving off the girl's obvious distress.

"What? Why?" she asked, eyes widening.

"Because of the demon taint. That spirit beast feeds off of emotions, and while yours are the epitome of pure, the Shikon also harbored an influence over the spirit beast growing within. Later on you will discover that your energy has not gone to waste, but for now, I need you to listen. Soon, there will be a chance for you to be revived, as rare as an opportunity as this is, you must not mess this up. It only happens approximately every 500 years, and with you having died in the past, it's because of this that the opportunity will even present itself. Koenma will explain this in further detail to you later, but do not fear. Things will be set right as they should have been. I promise you, Kagome." She smiled softly, before glimpsing briefly at Hiei and then Kurama. It seemed she was already gaining the new allies that she so desperately needed.

Nodding mutely, Kagome's head swam with all of this new information, but it seemed that things would be okay…eventually, anyhow. Just as she went to reply, the ancient miko disappeared in a flash of light, and Koenma and Botan looked to her. It wasn't there doing, but that of the miko, and all they could do was try to digest all of this information, and come up with a plan of action. Kurama and Hiei exchanged simultaneous looks. Things were bound to get a lot more interesting soon. Very interesting.

A/N: Another chapter up! Hope you enjoyed this one. Please, Read and Review!

Keep a lookout for the plot bunny that tells me what the main pairing(s) is (are) going to be. I still have no idea. But I am keeping your suggestions in mind!

Kudos!

Sa-chan aka animeinvasiongirl


	5. Shelter from Despair

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: Another wonderful amount of response. Keep those reviews coming, they make me happy! I wish the muse holding the main pairing for this story would just show up already. It would make me feel more at ease, but meh, maybe they have something great in mind. X-D

Well, here's another chapter. Enjoy!

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 5: Shelter from Despair

Hiei was speechless, though he did his best to hide his surprise and unease. He had heard enough from Kagome to figure out that it was indeed her who had saved him, however unintentionally. But Midoriko's words bore into his very soul.

_'If you had not dropped it, this demon here would have been purified. You and I both know that you would not have allowed that to happen. Your spirit would not have allowed him to die.'_

Who was this girl? Why would she care, and how was it she was a miko and could even think of him in a kind light? These questions and more sent his head spinning, and he stepped back with a growl, earning everyone's attention. Kurama looked to his friend with curious eyes, though he noted that Hiei's gaze was focused on the girl.

She was confusing to him, and he was a creature that hated confusion. He hated feeling like he wasn't in control, and unintentionally, when he involved himself in this situation, he lost control somehow. He couldn't have so easily saved himself from that holy blast of energy; however, she went out of her way to do so. Why? What was her ulterior motive? He loathed to admit to himself that he owed her now, but he would be damned if he didn't try and repay this debt as soon as possible. What would her demands be? What would she want in return for saving his life?

His inner beast would not allow this debt to go unpaid. He thought perhaps he could just kill her and be rid of her; however, his pride would not be satisfied with that. Again, he owed her, for doing something he could not really remember being done for him before: she saved his life. A miko no less!

He took another step back, before disappearing in a flash of black, without a word to anyone there, leaving confusion in his wake. "What the hell was that all about?" Botan asked, frowning in the direction Hiei fled.

"I'm not sure Botan, but it might have been a little to do with what Midoriko said." Koenma replied, before looking to Kagome. "Forget him right now; we have more pressing issues to deal with, first of all being to purify this taint from your body."

Kagome nodded, though she looked out of the doorway towards where Hiei left. She didn't even get his name, and it bothered her that he left because of her, however her thoughts didn't revolve around him long, as she saw even more bloodshed and death everywhere around her. Silent tears fell from her eyes as she stood, horrified at the destruction she had wrought upon Reikai castle.

Kurama easily felt her distress, and moved to stand behind her, before saying softly, "It wasn't your fault. The jewel did this, not you."

"But…it was my fault…I died. I was the one not strong enough to beat Naraku, I was the one who let my heart get in the way of my good sense, and I was the one who didn't make a wish on the jewel. All of this is my fault….all my fault…" she whispered back brokenly. It was her who took the blame for everything that had happened. She would never shift the blame to others, especially the others in the past. The jewel was her responsibility, not theirs. It was her fault she died. Her choice to sacrifice herself for Inuyasha was one of many choices she had made that had only made things worse. She would not regret saving him though. She regretted a lot of things, but saving him would not be one of them.

Shuichi wasn't sure how to respond. She obviously had a large heart that refused to make anyone else suffer, even if they were at fault. But who could make her feel as worthless as to think she wasn't strong? "If you were not strong, you wouldn't have made it this far, Kagome. Do not think less of yourself." Who was Naraku? He wanted to know her story, but now was not the time. She needed understanding and comfort right now, and he would be damned if he didn't try to give that to her.

Koenma's voice broke through their thoughts, as he spoke to Botan. "Get the rest of the team here. We're going to need all the help we can get until this situation gets settled." She nodded mutely, before contacting both Kuwabara and Yusuke. This was going to be a long day.

The day went on slowly as they recruited help to clean the East Wing and help remove the bodies and body parts that littered the floor because of the backlash of power Midoriko had released. Kagome had hidden in the room where her body was being kept as they worked, knowing she would just get in the way, and feeling afraid to go out and watch as they cleaned up the mess she had unintentionally created.

However, one person would not leave her be, or rather, two. Yusuke and Hiei. The little fire apparition had returned, still confused as all hell as to her intentions toward him, and Yusuke, well, he just wanted to see who was at fault for him having clean up duty in Reikai castle.

Upon seeing her body however, the young toushin paused. She had been through the purifying ritual, but that still did not mean that the taint was gone. That would not happen until her spirit was returned to her body, and until that time, her existence was very fragile indeed.

Kagome's body remained semi-stable; however, the ragged breaths that signaled life in her body were disturbing to him. The dark, morbid looking disease at her side didn't help matters either. He could feel her sitting there, and he could also feel her unease. 'Good.' He thought. 'At least she isn't taking this for granted.'

Again, he had to wonder what had happened in the first place. He had come into the Reikai and couldn't believe all the damage and death he had seen. It was as if an atomic bomb had gone on in the castle, sparing none in its wake, however, he was surprised to see Hiei there, and the narrow slits that were his eyes were directed in the direction of the girl. 'What did she do to piss him off?' he wondered.

Sitting down quietly by her bedside, he cautiously reached out a hand to take hers, noting how soft and warm her hand was, even if it was a bit pale. Kagome watched carefully as he touched her body, before relaxing. She was glad that he wasn't hurt being near her. She didn't want anyone else hurt because of her or the jewel, but it seemed that fate had other plans. She still couldn't believe all the death the jewel had wrought upon the Reikai, though, she couldn't stay surprised long. The jewel contained four souls, one of which was a powerful priestess. Shaking the thoughts away, she looked over to Hiei and winced. If looks could kill, her immortal soul would have been up in flames by now.

She looked back to Yusuke who was still taking her form in. He didn't know how this girl had gotten into such a mess, but he had to admit that she did it well. He was the one in the team known for bringing trouble in waves, but this girl certainly had him trumped for the moment. How was it she could kill all those demons while she was asleep? He was curious to know the story, but at the moment Koenma was so busy with everything else that he wouldn't be talking with him anytime soon. That left the hybrid, if he were willing to talk, and Yusuke doubted that.

"So what's your story? What are you doing up here?" he spoke up, looking to Hiei. He didn't expect a response, and was rewarded correctly with a "Hn. That's none of your business detective."

"We could still use your help out here, Urameshi!" Kazuma's voice broke through the silence, earning a retort of, "Hold your horses, I'll be right there!" Putting the girl's hand down, he moved from her bedside to go back out on clean-up duty.

"Don't you think you'd be better spending your time cleaning and not hovering over her like that? It's not like she's going to wake up anytime soon." Yusuke smirked, trying to goad the hiyoukai into some kind of conversation. A deep growl was his answer as he laughed, heading out of the room, leaving Kagome and Hiei alone again.

She shifted nervously as she looked to the hiyoukai, who gave her the same look he had been giving her the past two hours: one of irritation, confusion, and anger. "Quit that. It's not like I wanted this to happen!" she finally outburst, knowing he could hear her.

She wasn't sure how he could, but she knew that he could hear her and talk to her, like before. Unfortunately, from what she had seen, he was a very anti-social creature, even with his friends. That left her basically talking to herself, and that was a very lonely prospect. As if she didn't have enough to grieve over, she was alone here, waiting for god knows what to happen to her body.

"Hn." He replied wordlessly again, a light growl in his voice. Her outburst irritated him for more than one reason. She had not initiated all of this, but she was at the center of it all; her and that blasted jewel. He knew that small trinket was trouble, which was why he never took the time to seek it out. He found enough trouble on his own without intentionally looking for it.

She seemed lonely, and that loneliness tugged at him in a way he did not like, not one little bit. He had learned to deal with his loneliness by focusing on goals: finding his hiroseki stone, finding his sister, breaking into the Reikai, stealing the artifacts of darkness, becoming more powerful; all of these goals were to focus his attention away from the tug of loneliness. Never having anyone offer him comfort of the physical nature, he never had longing to have it, until he came of age and began having heat cycles. Even then, he did not seek comfort, but release. He never took the time or the initiative to find comfort in the arms of a demoness, and certainly never in the arms of a human. It was him against the world: there was no where for him to fit in, so he carved himself a place all his own. And he was going to keep it that way if it killed him. He needed no one, though his youkai protested his mental thoughts. It wanted what all demons and humans alike sought after in their lifetimes: companionship and compassion. The demon himself may have not wanted anyone in his life, but his youkai certainly did. However, it still had not reacted towards any creature, youkai or human. But it was curious, curious about the small woman who had wrought such destruction without even batting an eyelash.

Before Hiei had had a chance to realize it, the wards on his arms were slowly burning away, allowing his dragon that he kept under such lock and key to drift lazily away from his body. Growling angrily, he moved to pull the creature back mentally, his anger spiking. He had tamed the creature as best he could, but even it had a mind of its own, and right now it wanted to inspect the miko that lay immobilized on her hospital bed.

Kagome watched warily as Hiei's scowl deepened, but she was shocked beyond belief when a smoky looking shape started to rise from his arm, forming into a distinctly dragon shape. What the hell was that thing and what was it doing coming out of the apparitions arm like that? She instantly moved in front of her body as if she could do anything about it, but it stopped right in front of her, as she shouted at Hiei, "What the hell is that?! What's going on?!"

Hiei growled, his own irritation and worry evident. Though he would like nothing better than his dragon to dispose of the girl right now, he knew that if he did, he would be set up for life imprisonment in the Reikai, or worse, execution. He didn't feel like dying just yet, and especially over some girl that really hadn't done any transgressions against him. Oh, no mistake, he hated her existence, but he did not wish to deal with the Reikai brat and all the complications that would arise should she be killed and leave the Shikon without a protector.

"It seems he likes you for some reason." He finally spoke, giving Kagome the first listen of his voice. It was deep, and rich, though it seemed unused, as if he really didn't talk too much. Turning her attention back to the dragon, she asked, "So does that mean it's not going to hurt me?"

He just looked at her with a scowl. "How should I know?! It's not like I can hear what it's thinking." He was highly pissed, and each moment that passed that the dragon was away from him was making him worry further. He didn't like not being in control, and ever since that girl came into his life, he hadn't been in control of a lot of things.

Kagome gulped as she looked into the dragon's eyes. It had the most beautiful sparkling eyes, though they held a dark tint that told Kagome should she fuck with it, it would incinerate her body without a second bit of hesitation. Her body shook lightly, as she kept eye contact with the strange creature, before she said in the calmest voice she could muster, "H-hi…"

The dragon's eyes sparkled more, as if amused by her timidness, making her stop and huff. It was like she was facing down Sesshoumaru all over again. "You find something funny?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest.

It blinked at her before giving her what she considered it's version of a laugh, irritating her further, though she took care not to show it. He was still the one with a true form, unlike her, and unlike him, she needed her body to come back to life. Hiei watched the exchange with confused eyes as the dragon exhibited something akin to a personality. He often wondered what the dragon was like before he tried to tame it, and it seemed that the creature was playful, but he also knew that the dragon was dangerous, and had the power to do things that made even Enma shake in his shoes.

Kagome sighed lightly, trying to relax. It seemed that it didn't want to hurt her, and was indeed curious about her. She looked back into its eyes and as she actually to a few moments to look at it, she saw a hint of sadness in its eyes. It seemed like a very expressive creature, unlike its owner.

Taking a breath to gather her courage, she slowly lifted her hand to touch the top of the dragon's smoky head, and surprising to her, it dipped its head and let her, shifting under her ethereal hand as she petted him. "You're just a sweet little thing, aren't you…" she spoke quietly, her features gentling as she stepped closer to him and continued to softly pat his head.

Hiei was in shock. Who knew that the dragon had a softer side to him? And what made this girl so special that he'd allow her to touch him willingly? He had long since stopped trying to reel the dragon back in and instead had opted to watch the exchange. As long as he didn't do any damage, then no harm no foul.

The dragon growled softly its contentment, and Kagome smiled softly as he did so. She looked over and saw Hiei with his face the perfect mock of a fish. Giggling, she refrained from laughing out loud, only letting herself smirk at him. This was the first time in awhile that she felt like laughing, especially after today.

The thoughts of earlier made her sigh and frown lightly, and as if sensing her unease, the dragon shifted closer to look into her eyes, its eyes boring into her own as it saw all the emotions flittering across her sapphire eyes. A soft soothing growl filled the air around her and she moved her hand to rub its cheek gently before saying, "I did a bad thing today. You don't want to stay around me. I don't want you to get hurt."

It growled even more in protest to her words, before shifting to wrap around her suddenly, as if protecting her from her inner demons. Hiei quickly moved forward from the wall he was leaning against saying, "That's enough foolishness."

Kagome looked at him wondering if he were talking to the dragon or to her, but he made himself clear in his next movement as he let loose the Jagan, quickly penetrating into the misted dragon's mind, taking control over it. Without much effort the dragon was dragged back into Hiei's arms and the sutras and wards that were in place stilled as they shifted back into place.

Kagome looked to Hiei before looking back down to the ground. He surely condemned her for the damage wrought upon the Reikai, and he wanted nothing to do with her. It didn't matter that her spirit energy had saved him, all that mattered was that she was weak and unable to control her power; even though the Shikon was not technically hers, she was protecting it; therefore its power fell to her. Even if it were Midoriko that had forced her hand, it was Kagome that had it in her possession and in her control even before she had ended up in these dire straights.

Hiei watched as the different emotions flew across the miko's eyes. The most prominent were sadness, and dejection. He wasn't sure what the girl had gone through in her past, but he had to bet that this was not the first time that she had killed. Though it seemed as if she were still so innocent; from her innocent look, to her gentle smile even when dealing with such a dangerous creature as the dragon that resided on his arm, he could see that she had a pure heart. What confused him more than anything was what Midoriko had said. Apparently, she had cared for other demons, if he were interpreting the ancient miko's words correctly.

What secrets did the miko hold? At that thought, he stepped back from her. He didn't want to know. He didn't need to get himself involved in her life. She may have saved him, but that was as far as their contact would come. He didn't need some emotional human woman leaning on him for support. He was a creature that wouldn't offer it, except to one demon, and that was his own sister. He didn't need, or want, to have this girl in his life. His youkai protested even as the hiyoukai stepped back, growling in anguish. She was the only human or demon alike that had not feared him upon first meeting, and that alone spoke wonders for her character.

If only Hiei had known what he was stepping away from, he might have not been so inclined to leave her alone.

Watching the demon move away from her, Kagome turned around, foregoing the tears that wanted to fall. She had to deal with this herself. She wasn't a desirable creature, and she knew this. Hell, how many times had Inuyasha told her she was ugly, weak, and pathetic? Too many to count, in her opinion. Why did she expect that this demon would be any different? Not that she really expected him to stay; she just didn't expect him to be so obvious that she wasn't wanted.

Then again, she had just killed a great number of Reikai officials. Of course he wouldn't want to be around her. He was probably one of those demons that thought himself above killing, and she had just proved herself to be merciless as she slaughtered hundreds. Perhaps he was like Sesshoumaru, and killed when he had to, and nothing more. The prince of the western lands certainly enjoyed the kill, but he did not go out and ruthlessly kill just on a whim, as she had just done.

Pushing down the urge to sob, Kagome moved back around the other side of her body, sitting down and facing away from Hiei. She knew so little about him, and him not speaking just lead her to speculation. If she had known just how Hiei had to live his life, she would not be assuming anything of the sort about the reserved demon.

The hiyoukai watched her movements closely, and could feel her rapidly changing emotions as she sunk into a depression. He also heard her thoughts, and his eyes widened at her speculations. He almost had to laugh at the thought that he was anything like she was picturing, though she got some things right about him. He did thrill in the kill, but unless he was provoked, lately he had tried to reduce his urge to kill. He had found his family, and he didn't want to piss off the wrong demon. While he could easily defeat any demon that dared to rear its ugly head, Yukina was no where near as strong, and should he not be around, she could be in danger. In a word, he was trying to make fewer enemies to ensure her safety. It helped that he was part of a team of very strong demons and humans that would protect her with their lives.

He tried to ignore the pitch of his youkai at her sadness. The dragon had already proved its attraction to the miko, though he knew not why. Was there something it knew that he did not? He forced down that thought. Of course that wouldn't be the case! He knew all he needed to know about the situation, and that was that she was a miko _human_ female, and that automatically made her off limits.

'Off limits to what?' he heard himself questioning mentally. Frowning he shook his head. He didn't need this, not now. Things were going okay in his life, and he didn't need to add complications that came with this human girl. Let the others take care of her. He wanted nothing to do with her.

Turning, he walked away from her, ignoring the scent of tears and sounds of soft sobs coming from the girl. He didn't look back, and though his youkai scratched and clawed within him without mercy, he didn't turn around and go back.

Too bad the fates didn't think at all the way he was.

Cleanup of Reikai castle took over three weeks, and each day, Kagome fell further and further into despair. She wanted nothing more than to get revived, find the deepest and darkest hole, and hide in it for the rest of her days.

Kurama came and visited her daily, talking of nothing in particular, but his voice was soothing none-the-less, and he wasn't alone in his daily visits. Kazuma came as well, telling her more about himself as days turned into nights and he left to go back to the Ningenkai.

She let herself out at night, allowing herself to walk around the castle as she tried to deal with the emotions that plagued her daily. It never should have happened. All those souls that were lost because of her and the Shikon weighed heavily on her mind as she was left to her own thoughts. Eventually, they turned full circle to the past, and she often found herself thinking about her friends.

One of these nights, she found herself standing at a set of large double doors, and against her better judgment, she went through them, finding herself in a place similar to what she had seen from the air: the Makai. She wondered if anyone would stop her if she just left to wander, however, she didn't feel like getting lost. If she didn't stick around, her body would just continue to decay with the demon taint and then she'd never be able to come back to life.

What surprised her was that the Makai also had features of the Ningenkai, such as forests and mountains. Pushing back the urge to explore, she turned around and went back inside the castle, but not before her scent was picked up by a kitsune kit and his adoptive father.

"So she returns." The older said to the younger.

"But why was she in that form?" the younger asked.

"I'm not sure, but I believe the final battle had something to do with it. Perhaps we can lend our assistance, kit." The older said, before glancing to the kit he had been raising for the past five-hundred years.

"I've missed her. I wonder if she's changed." He spoke again, before a smile lit up his face. He had missed his mother, and couldn't wait to see her again. He had been waiting as patiently as he could for the past five-hundred years to see her again, even after that baka hanyou had told him to give it up, that he would never see her again. Personally, he just thought the hanyou was upset that he had been the one she had died over, but he could only speculate.

As it was, the hanyou had been waiting too, and again, the kit could only speculate, but he thought it was because he still loved the miko that had given him her heart unconditionally. The kit hoped that she would not go back to the way things were. She had hurt far too many times because the hanyou had degraded her or tossed her over to be with the un-dead woman he used to love.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts, he smiled to his adoptive father. She had made a good choice in entrusting him to the taiyoukai's care. He never treated him badly and even went out of his way to make sure that he learned all he needed to learn, hiring different fox-demons to help teach him all he needed to know about his different abilities and powers that he obtained as he grew older.

Yes, the taiyoukai made an excellent father and teacher. The prince's own adopted daughter had long since passed on in death, but she had been a terrific sibling to the kit all his life. Sesshoumaru would never admit it, but Kagome had given him a large blessing in disguise when she had entrusted Shippou to his care. When Rin passed on, he had grieved terribly for her loss, but with the kit there, he had someone to share the grief with, and also had someone there to stay by his side through the years, as the world began to change. Though Shippou was his adopted child, it was reassuring to have another creature near him that would not pass in death, and understood the ways of demons and even humans alike; being that Shippou had been around plenty of them.

Sesshoumaru often wondered if the miko girl did not have a sixth sense about these things. She seemed to have a knack for soothing the most savage of souls through the simplest of means. With his own half-brother, it was his fiery temper and reserved nature because of his upbringing, which she consoled by just being there for him, and being a true friend and companion. She never betrayed him, even though he had many times over betrayed her. She always returned to his side, no matter what he had done to her. He knew that many would have not. Shaking the thoughts away, he looked back to Reikai castle. A visit to Prince Koenma was in order, it seemed.

Kagome found herself back in the room where her body was being held, but she wasn't alone. Yusuke was standing near her body and he seemed lost in thought, but once she entered the room, his attention went on her before he smiled lightly, gesturing for her to come on into the room.

Yusuke had found himself at the Reikai castle, though he wasn't sure why he was there. He hadn't been called by Koenma or Botan, but he felt the need to check up on the strange girl that he'd seen after Reikai castle basically got turned upside down.

She wasn't sure why he was there, but she certainly wasn't going to knock the company. She had been increasingly feeling the need to be near others, but it was hard to do that considering everyone else was busier than ever because of her mistake, and those who weren't busy were afraid to come near her.

"Hi…what brings you here?" she asked, knowing that since he had died once before, he could hear her clearly.

"Nothing much, just thought I'd come and check up on you. How are you doing?" he asked, taking a seat as he watched her sit down too.

"I'm alright, though I would feel better if I were in my body and not hovering around like this. It gets kind of unnerving, you know?" she replied, sighing lightly.

"I know exactly what you mean. I hated the whole floating-in-the-air thing that I had to do until I was revived. Though it was hard to get used to gravity again." He smirked, looking to her as he reached out and held her hand gently. If Keiko had seen him do this, he knew she would have kicked the ever-loving shit out of him, but right now, he didn't care.

Kagome looked over to him as he touched her hand and blushed lightly as she felt it on her own astral person. How that was possible, she didn't know, but right now, she didn't mind. His touch was comforting, even if he didn't know it.

She looked down to the ground before saying in a soft voice, "I'm sorry for before."

He looked at her confused before saying, "Sorry for what again?"

"For the clean up you had to do…it was my fault…I just wanted to apologize." She said, her voice even softer. She was glad that he had come to see her again. She hadn't had a chance to apologize for what had happened and what he had had to do.

He looked to her incredulously before shaking his head. "From what I heard, it wasn't your fault. Sure, you ended up dying in the past, but this wasn't your fault. It was either that other miko fight off the darkness in the jewel, or the jewel become corrupted. Don't worry about it. Though there were a lot of ogres that died, they are all able to come back as reincarnations. Koenma has some wicked awesome power like that." He smirked, giving the toddler some credit, though he would never tell him to his face.

She looked up quickly to the toushin's face before looking back down to her body, a couple of tears trailing down her face. She still felt it was her fault, but he had reassured her more than anyone else that it would all be okay.

Yusuke looked from her to her body, and saw the tears trail from her closed eyes. It seemed that her spirit and her body were linked somehow in a different way than his own body and he were. "Hey…don't cry…it's alright now." He said, squeezing her hand a little more to try and reassure her. He wasn't sure where his sensitive side was coming from, but he was sure that she needed it. Somehow he could feel that she hadn't had many comforting things said to her since she began this ordeal, or even before hand if he were reading her reactions right.

That only made her cry harder, as she struggled to hold herself back from him. She would have liked nothing more than to have him hug her and tell her things would be okay, but that was impossible seeing as how she was only a spirit.

Sympathetic eyes looked to the spirit girl across from him before he took his hand and wiped away the tears that were falling down the cheeks of her body. "Don't sweat the small stuff. I promise, it'll be okay." He said again, before touching his hand to her forehead, gently rubbing it.

Kagome nodded, before saying softly in a voice cracked with tears, "Thank you…for coming to visit me."

He just gave her a smirk before nodding. "No problem. Besides, who wouldn't want to come and visit a hottie like you?" he tried to joke, to get her to smile. Ever since the girl stepped into the room, he could feel her depression lingering like the scent of lightening before a rainstorm.

She blinked before giggling. That sounded like something Miroku would say. Just as long as the toushin didn't try to grope her, she'd be fine. He smiled at her giggle, before nodding. That's what he wanted. He didn't want to see her depressed. From what he had heard, she had done everything in her power to bring back the shards of the Shikon she had broken in an attempt to save a child that was captured by a bird youkai. She had even given her life to save a youkai, well, half-youkai, that she cared about. He wasn't sure how much she had cared for the hanyou, but it had to be quite a bit in order for her to die for him.

He even heard her exploits of taking a youkai child under her wing to raise as her own. The girl's character was astounding, being what she was. She should have killed all demons without a second of hesitation, but she did not. He wasn't sure if it were just because she grew up in a different time and age, or if she really just did not discern between good and evil until she got to know a person or demon, but it was refreshing to him. Even Keiko had problems with the demons that came around them often, him included, and she was supposed to love him as he was. Then again, the fact that he was a demon only appeared later in his life, but still, lately she had had a hard time accepting him for who he was. All things aside, the relationship was strained, though he didn't want to examine it too closely, at least, not at this point in time.

"Thank you…I'm glad you came to visit." Kagome said, getting Yusuke's attention away from his straying thoughts.

"I am too, and don't worry about it. I know how lonely it can get with only Botan to talk to." He said, remembering the trials he had to go through to get his life back.

Kagome looked up to him before smiling softly and nodding. He understood the loneliness she faced right now. "Hey…if it wouldn't be too much trouble…could you come visit me again?" she asked, keeping her head down in case he rejected the idea.

He looked to her, wondering why she would be afraid to look at him as she asked her question. Shaking the thought away he smiled and nodded. "Sure, it would be my pleasure. Just keep your purifying energies to yourself, and we'll get along great." He smirked, teasing her again.

She looked up and saw his smirk before laughing softly. "Deal."

/Chapter

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, but this one was hard to get through. Expect an update on my other stories as soon as I can break through my writer's block. XP This one should get updated regularly now, unless the muses be mean to me and not give me any more ideas. For now, well, we'll just see. :-J

Expect Kagome to be refamiliarized with her body in the next chapter, as well as some interesting appearances.

Read and Review, onegai!

Kudos, Loves!

Sayuri-chan--Animeinvasiongirl


	6. Shelter from the Past

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho

1Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: Sorry for the delayed update. I should get around to updating my other stories soon. Thanks for your patience.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 6

Shelter from the Past

The next morning, Koenma came into the hospital wing bright and early with a firm look on his face. "Today, we're going to put your soul back with your body. The final components are here for your revival." Those words made the spirit Kagome leap up with surprise. It was so soon?

"What components?" she asked, her confusion evident.

"Your ties to the past. The one who made you this way is going to put you back where you belong." he had done some investigation and found out that Sesshoumaru, taiyoukai of the western lands, and still the current ruler of part of the Makai was the one who had tried to revive her in the past, thus, enabling her to be transported back to her original era because of ancient magic's that were infused in his father's sword when it was forged.

"S-Sesshoumaru? He's still alive?" hope rose in the miko as she spoke, "Then, what about Shippou? Inuyasha?" she may have given up on him as a love interest, but that did not mean that she didn't care about him anymore.

Koenma nodded, before other ogres came into the room, leading Sesshoumaru and Shippou into the room, as well as the rest of the tantei, even Hiei. They had been called here in case something went wrong, but that didn't mean that all of them were happy to be there. Hiei was scowling even more than usual the more he had to be in contact with the girl. She was entirely too much trouble to deal with in his opinion.

Kagome's spiritual form went rigid a moment before she raced for Shippou first, pausing as she came to him. "Shippou! You've gotten so big! Your outfit is different too...what's with your hair? It's so short now!" she went on in a rush, her smile wide as she saw her son again. She was glad that he had made it, and gave a grateful look to Sesshoumaru that he noticed before she looked back to the kitsune, as he began to answer her long line of questions.

"I grew up, Momma...and of course my outfit is different...I help Sesshoumaru run the western lands of the Makai...my hair is short because it was bothering me..." he almost laughed at her expression. He could almost bet that he looked like that on many occasions when he was younger and she had given him candy.

She reached up to brush a couple of happy tears away. Just seeing him alive and well made everything worth it–fighting through the years to collect shards and finally to defeat Naraku, even if she had died in the end. She turned to Koenma with expectant eyes. "How do we do this? I'm tired of being a spirit." she smirked, a bit of that depression she had been feeling lately lifting off of her. She was ready to be a solid form again and she wanted to talk with Shippou more and even Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha wasn't with them so she briefly wondered if he had died yet, or was still alive with them in the Makai. She had a lot of questions for them and was ready to be alive again.

"Too right, Kagome. Lord Sesshoumaru, would you please draw your sword? I need you to stand over here by Kagome's body, then slice down at the precise moment that I administer the soul binding energies. The combined effort should draw her soul back to her body and root it there." Koenma explained, moving over next to Kagome's bedside, while Sesshoumaru took the other side. He didn't say much of anything, but Kagome knew that she would have to repay the favor somehow. This was not the first time he saved her, and he had even taken care of Shippou and from what she had seen, he had done a very good job of raising her kit.

The others were relatively silent as they waited for her to be revived. Each one thought of her safety first, except for Hiei. He would feel relieved if this didn't work and she was sent to the afterlife, like she was supposed to in the first place. He didn't like the feeling she gave him, and didn't like the lingering scent of death and despair around her body. He also hated the fact that his dragon was attracted to her. She was nothing but trouble in his opinion and he wanted nothing to do with her. As soon as she was revived, he was out of here.

Koenma put his hands above Kagome's head and slowly the tendrils of power came forth to alight her body with soul drawing energies. It would be enough power to root her soul to her body and from there, it would be up to Sesshoumaru's sword to keep her there long enough to get situated, thus, bringing her back to life.

Sesshoumaru waited a moment until Koenma gave him the signal and then he sliced down his sword, shocking all in the room who had not seen it before. All they saw was a flash of purple light before Kagome's spirit disappeared and multiple outraged gasps filled the air.

"What the hell?!" Yusuke shouted, rushing forward towards the Taiyoukai, along with Kuwabara and Kurama.

"Yusuke, stop, she's fine..." but Koenma's words were lost as a soft female moan filled the air.

"...did it work?" she asked in a soft voice, as Kagome looked up to Sesshoumaru and Koenma's face.

The Taiyoukai smiled lightly before nodding, as did Koenma, and her waking up had quickly dispelled the situation that had been brewing. "Momma!" Shippou called out, moving around Sesshoumaru to help her up into a sitting position to hug her.

Kagome felt like she was going to fall over any moment, but she gathered the strength to wrap her arms around the kit and hug him as tightly as she could. "Hey there..." she whispered softly into his ear as she let him support her as she was still getting used to having her body back, and her soul was busy connecting with her power to purify the Shikon, which was in dire need of purification.

She looked around at everyone, but her eyes fell on the retreating back of Hiei. 'Yeah, he hates me alright...' she thought before turning to look at Sesshoumaru. "Thanks for taking good care of him..." she whispered out, her voice very weak still from lack of use.

The stoic lord nodded before saying, "It is I who should be thanking you, but you are welcome, miko."

Kagome gave him a quizzical look before smiling, and looking over to the three remaining tantei members and Koenma. "...thanks for bringing me back..." she said quietly to the demi-god, before looking to the others. "...and thanks for keeping me company, until he could...you guys are all great." Her smile grew as she shifted to try and stand up, wanting to give them each a hug.

Yusuke moved forward as she moved and Shippou slowly let her go as she reached for the toushin, wrapping her arms around him lightly. "Thanks for coming here today..." she whispered to him and he hugged her a little tighter. He liked the girl...quite a bit, and he would be damned if he didn't come to visit her often, wherever she was. He was very glad though that she was back in her own body. She was as kind and gentle as her spirit was, and he was going to keep up relations with her. He knew that his friendship would be welcomed by her, and he knew that he would welcome her own.

Kazuma stepped up, and smiled, wrapping his large arms around her. "Hey you..." she grinned, hugging him a little tighter. "I told you I'd be here for you when you were revived." he smiled to her, rubbing her back lightly. He was glad to have her to talk to, and he somehow knew that he would get along with his first love, Yukina. 'I'll have to introduce them...' he thought, before Kurama stepped up and smiled to her, holding out his arms to take her from the orange haired boy.

She moved carefully and wrapped her arms around the red head, her hands brushing against his hair. It was soft, like the rest of him. He was a very beautiful person on the outside, but she also knew of his inner beauty. Having the three friends she had made during this trial near her when she was revived was welcome. She couldn't imagine waking up and having no one there, but these three reminded her of her life here in this time that she had to get back into.

"Thanks for coming here guys...I appreciate it." she said, before turning to Koenma. "Is there anything else I need to do?" she asked, leaning a little on Kurama for support as he had an arm around her waist.

"Check your side for taint. It should be disappearing as it's purified from your body. Other than that, I will just require you to check in periodically, and I will require you to begin training immediately with Genkai, our local energy manipulator. She will help you to control your holy powers better, and teach you how to fight. With that jewel embedded in your body, there is not much else we can do." he said, nodding firmly to her.

She smiled before saying, "Can Genkai really help me learn to control my power? In the past, I couldn't find a miko who could really help me call on it, because it was too great...I think because of the jewel..." she explained further, a little worry coming to her face.

"Trust me, she can help you. She will be expecting you as soon as you're done checking in with your family. I'm sure they have been expecting you for a while." he said, before looking to Sesshoumaru. "I take it you will be watching over her as well, when time permits?" he asked, receiving a nod from the Lord.

"I'll be visiting too, Momma!" Shippou said, smiling to her as he came back to hug her.

She shifted her arms to wrap around him before Kurama spoke up. "This is the kitsune you were talking about, Kagome?"

She nodded, before saying, "Shippou, this is Kurama, Kurama, this is Shippou. Kurama is a kitsune too." she informed the kit, as he looked over the red head critically.

"You seem familiar, but I'm not sure why..." he said, before Sesshoumaru stepped up. "Youko Kurama...am I right?" he had kept up with the more powerful youkai over the years and he would not miss the scent of Youko anywhere.

Kurama nodded, and for the first time since meeting Kagome, Youko was curious. 'How does she know a powerful youkai like Sesshoumaru? And she has a kit as well... ' Kurama smirked a little at that. Finally, his counterpart was starting to show interest in the girl. It took a powerful taiyoukai to spark that interest, but he was sure that once he could really talk to her, Youko would have questions of his own for the girl.

Kagome moved from Kurama's embrace and looked to Sesshoumaru expectantly. He knew Youko? She was sure that the kitsune was old, but to have someone like him actually confirm it, it was a little shock. Shaking off the immediate questions she wanted to ask, she moved to sit back down on the bed, not entirely ready to be moving around so much. After a moment, she shifted her dressing gown to look down at her side, which was slowly becoming the pale color her skin was supposed to be, instead of the dark black that it had been.

She didn't realize that she had commanded everyone's attention until she noticed the quiet silence around her and she looked up, before blushing. "...everything's fine. It's starting to disappear already." she said, looking back to Sesshoumaru and Koenma.

"That's good, Kagome. I'll go see if we have something you can change into, and then you can go home." the demi-god said, before exiting the room, leaving the three tantei members and Sesshoumaru and Shippou with her.

The kitsune took a seat beside her before hugging her again. "I've missed you so much...I was so scared when you ran away from me. I know why you did it...but..." he paused, not finishing his thought. He wished that she would have saved herself instead of Inuyasha. He had harbored resentment against the hanyou ever since that day, and though it wasn't spoken of between the two, both knew it existed, as well as the taiyoukai. Personally, Sesshoumaru couldn't see why the girl would run headfirst to take a blow meant for his half-brother, but as he thought about it over the years, it became painfully obvious that she actually cared for him, as crazy as it sounded.

Then again, it seemed that she had cared about himself as well, as an ally, and even as a friend, which was an odd feeling to say the least for the taiyoukai. Shaking off his growing thoughts, he looked to Kagome, who was hugging Shippou back and saying that everything was alright now. However, her next question grabbed his attention quickly.

"...is he...still alive?" she asked timidly, not looking to any of them in particular, but her heart hung on their answer. She hoped he was; because she didn't want to find out that her sacrifice was in vain...that he had died soon after she had saved him would be something she wouldn't be sure how to deal with.

The uncomfortable silence grew in the room, as Yusuke, Kuwabara, and Kurama all looked to the taiyoukai and kit. Who was she talking about? She hadn't told them in depth about how she died. All she had said was that she was fighting an evil demon named Naraku, and that he had been the one to kill her, but not before she killed him first through purification. She had mentioned dying for a hanyou friend…was this the person she was talking about?

Sesshoumaru and Shippou locked eyes before the taiyoukai spoke up saying, "He lives." He didn't mention that the inu-hanyou had no idea that Kagome was still alive and that he and the kit knew of her whereabouts. They had kept the information from him on purpose, for both their own benefit, and for hers as well. They knew the secret wouldn't be kept for long, but they would keep it for as long as they were able. Kagome didn't deserve to see what the hanyou had become, and what had happened after the final battle…after she had disappeared.

She managed a small smile before saying rather quietly, "That's good. That's good to hear." She wasn't sure what to do first, laugh or cry, but she managed to do neither as she stood as Koenma came back into the room with a kimono of Botan's to give to Kagome. "Here you go. This should do until you get home. Remember, I will be checking in on you and you will be training with Genkai. Kurama, Yusuke, Kuwabara, see that she makes it there safely." He ordered the boys before pointing to a door. "The bathroom is in there."

She nodded softly before heading into the room and closing the door behind her; as soon as she did, three pairs of eyes locked with the taiyoukai's, and he almost smirked, ialmost/i.

Yusuke was the first to speak as he asked, "Who was she talking about?" he asked, his eyes narrowing lightly. He knew of Lord Sesshoumaru, but that didn't mean he was going to bow down before him, or anyone else for that matter.

"My half-brother. His name is Inuyasha." The taiyoukai answered, not revealing anything else.

Kurama stepped up beside Yusuke before saying, "She mentioned dying to protect her friend…is that him?" his curiosity was getting the better of him the more elusive Kagome and Sesshoumaru were being whenever they spoke about the past.

He raised an eyebrow before looking to Shippou, who looked ready to spit nails. "That is no friend of hers!" he said bitterly, his ki flaring in distress and anger. "He left her to defend herself against Naraku, to save a walking corpse! A woman who was of the un-dead! No friend I know would do such a thing." He spat, his eyes bleeding a little crimson before Sesshoumaru placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Calm yourself, kit. They do not know of the past." But even as he said the words, the discerning thought that Kagome had not told them of what had truly happened while she was in the past was floating around in his mind. Why had she not? It would seem from her previous reactions around these demons and humans that she trusted them and had befriended them, but she had not spoke of the past as of yet? What had happened to change her? Her almost blatant openness was one of her more immediately seen qualities that he could remember about her, but this went against what he knew of her character.

"But, Father…" he went to reply before one look from the stoic lord silenced him. He knew when to keep quiet after being raised by the taiyoukai all of these years.

"If she has not spoke of the past, then it is probably in her best interest that we not say anything either." He replied, before looking to each of them.

That only made them want to know further about her travels to the past, but before they could get anything else out, Kagome emerged from the bathroom, dressed in a pink sakura kimono with a blue obi. She gave each of them a smile before saying, "I'm ready to go now."

They could only stare. The brilliant blue-black of her hair stood out even more against the light pink kimono and her blue eyes sparkled a little as she smiled. She really was very beautiful, and she was a kind person—one they had each come a little closer to knowing through her ordeal. Her past though had them curious. What had she gone through? What had she experienced? And who was this Inuyasha person to her?

"Well then, I suppose you must be going now. We will visit you once you have settled in." Sesshoumaru stepped in and nodded, before he got another hug from her.

"Thank you for everything, Sesshoumaru." She whispered into his snow white outfit before giving him a smile.

"Again, you are welcome, miko." He replied, before Shippou hugged her again. "I'm glad you're alive again, Momma."

She grinned. "Me too."

Parting ways was easier this time than before, and Kagome waved back to her kit and the taiyoukai before she walked through the portal that Botan had made for them, taking her directly to her home. Her smile growing wider, she bound up the steps, with the three tantei walking behind slowly as they took in the surrounding area. Kazuma had been here once before, but he was still amazed at the amount of power flowing over the property.

Kurama's eyes were drawn to the well and then to the large Goshinboku on the property. It was old, and it's magic's, while rather quiet now, told of centuries of watching time pass. He would find some of his answers from there. Glancing back to Kagome, he saw an older woman, her mother-he guessed, from her scent, come from the house and run towards the girl before they embraced.

"Momma!" she shouted out happily before hugging an older man that came out of the house next—her grandfather, he deduced, as she shouted out, "Oji-chan!" and finally, a younger teenaged boy, her brother. "Souta!"

Kagome had never been happier to see any of them in her entire life, and she hugged them all fiercely. "I'm home…" she managed to suppress her tears to just a few, "…this time for good…"

Hiei had cursed the girl's name profusely as he found himself seeking out his comrades, only to find himself at her home. There was such ipower/i floating over the grounds that it made him pause at first. The holy feeling had his skin tingling, but it wasn't a destructive force, but rather, a calming force. Why would a shrine be bringing him, a demon, peace? Shaking the thought away, he stayed back away from everyone and just observed, however, Kurama and Yusuke both noticed him. Kazuma, as usual, was oblivious to his presence.

"Guys…" Kagome's voice broke through their thoughts. "…this is my Mom, Grandpa, and my little brother." She introduced them before saying, "That's Kurama, Yusuke, and Kazuma."

Mrs. Higurashi's eyes lit up a little at Kazuma before saying, "It's you! Well, it is nice to see you again." She smiled. The orange-haired boy smiled before nodding. "Nice to see you again too, Higurashi-san."

Kurama and Yusuke looked to Kazuma with a bit of loathing in their eyes. How was it he knew Kagome's mom when they didn't? Before they could say anything, she asked, "Is anyone hungry?"

The boys' looked up before Kagome said, "Momma…I have to go again."

The disappointment flooded her face before she just smiled. "Where do you have to go?"

"To an energy manipulator named Genkai. She's going to help me train my power." She said, her happiness growing. She couldn't wait to learn more about her power.

"Oh!" the older woman smiled. "So no more danger? And you'll be…you know…where I can reach you by phone?" she almost let it slip that her daughter had been from the past. She wasn't sure how much the new friends of her little girl knew about her travels, though she could tell there was something different about them.

Kagome nervously laughed. "No more danger." '_Well, not much…_' "And yeah…you can call me and reach me. One of them should have the number."

She gave her mom a kiss on the cheek before running into the house to get changed, coming out a few minutes later dressed in her miko clothes. They weren't necessarily uncomfortable, but they did make it a lot warmer than it was.

Each of the guys looked up at her before nodding their approval. She looked exactly the part of a priestess, and the clothing suited her. While she had been gone they had spoken small talk with her mother and grandfather. Her brother had eyed them warily before he flat out called them demons. It was a small shock that was smoothed over when Kagome's mom just smiled. "I knew it." She said softly. "My daughter never did make many friends her own species."

And that was that as she was ready to go again.

They arrived at Genkai's shortly afterwards, and as Kagome saw the sheer number of steps, she groaned. "And I thought imy/i my place was bad."

The guys laughed, and surprising to Yusuke and Kurama, Hiei had tagged along. They thought that he would have left considering his obvious dislike for the miko, but here he was.

They talked a little bit about Genkai and her training regiments, but mostly it was Yusuke complaining about the hellish workouts that he had been through in the past for her, making Kagome pale as she questioned her ability to even make it through. Then she remembered dying as she faced off Naraku. She needed to learn how to use her power. There was no other choice. She couldn't bank on the luck and help of strangers to keep the jewel safe. She looked over the three males that had quickly come into her life, and she sighed. She wouldn't involve anyone else in her mess, and she wouldn't see them in danger. It was a promise she was vowing to keep.

They reached the top of the steps and were met by a young girl with cerulean hair and an older woman with a hard set face.

"I've been expecting you. I am Genkai. Let's get to work!" she said harshly, her voice dark and gravelly sounding to Kagome's ears.

Jumping to attention she followed after the old woman with a backwards glance to the guys. What had she gotten herself into? But as soon as Genkai saw her looking back to the guys, she turned around and smartly rapped her on the head with her hand.

"Pay attention!" she said quickly. "Your power is unlike anything I have trained with in many, many years and you will get nowhere without perfect attention at all time! One false move could be the difference between you purifying your opponent and your opponent killing you, do you understand me girl?"

Kagome swallowed thickly and nodded, resisting the urge to rub the forming bump on her head. "Yes, ma'am." She replied, before following her into a training room of some sort, though it was very dim, almost to the point of her not being able to see.

"You don't understand. But you will, given time." The woman barked at her, before saying, "Do you know the basics of meditation?" she questioned, giving Kagome a long look over.

"Y-yes!" she replied quickly, not wanting to be hit again. "Miroku, a monk, taught me about meditation, and I also learned from a miko named Kaede." She informed her, before the older woman just nodded.

"Then let's get down to business. Get into a light trance, and we'll go from there."

The tantei watched as Genkai began the miko's training. It was odd to see her so strict with the human girl, and the protectiveness that they had started to form for her before came back with a vengeance as she hit Kagome over the head. It wasn't entirely unexpected, seeing as how her training regiments went with Yusuke, but it was still making them all feel uneasy—so much so that they were hovering around the door where she was training now to keep an eye on her-just to make sure Genkai didn't go overboard of course.

Hiei watched how his comrades were reacting around the human miko and he frowned. All of this over one girl? He could feel the pull that she was radiating from her small frame hidden inside the training room, but it was not a call that he was going to answer. Her scent and purity soothed him, but for the life of him he could not figure out why, and he didn't iwant/i to figure it out. Instead, he made his way into the house to visit with his sister. If one could call him staying silent as she talked really "visiting" with anyone.

Kagome felt like she was going to pass out. She had never tried in her life to do what she was doing now, and every time she lost focus, she was rapped upside the head by Genkai. She wanted to shout at the woman, but she bit her tongue, so much so that it started to bleed.

And of course, when Genkai saw the small trickle of it come from her lips, she ordered her to heal it. Something _else_ Kagome had never done before. Well, not much anyway.

"Just concentrate. There is a large reservoir of power within you—I can feel it, and you should be able to as well. There will be a bundle of power, oddly colored with pink and a light violet. The difference is very slight, but you will see it if you concentrate and look closely. The light violet color is your healing powers. The bright pink is your purifying powers. Learn to manipulate your power through your body to where you are injured. When you do that, your wounds should start to heal with that power and their own volition. The human body is made to repair itself on a constant basis, however, miko's are born with additional powers that regular humans are not, as you can already guess. Miko's have the power to purify darkness and evil, and heal. These powers are very strong in some, but weak in others. In you, they are the strongest I have ever seen." Kagome would have beamed; if she wasn't busy trying to heal herself like the old woman had instructed her. How was she supposed to concentrate with the woman talking her ear off?

"There are very few moderately strong miko's alive anymore, so it is strange to come across you. Then again, if you had not died then I suppose I wouldn't have met you." She barked again, her eyes narrowing lightly.

Kagome's eyes widened as she came upon her power and she watched it in awe. It was just as Genkai had described it—pulsing, and warm. As quickly as she had come upon it, she had touched it, for the first time. It was an exhilarating feeling. She was so close to her power that it almost made her cry. What if she would have had access to this power when she was in the past? Would she have lived through the battle? Would she and Inuyasha have had a chance at their happy ending? Would everything have been different?

Before she knew what she was doing, she had pulled the right power up and had healed her tongue, before she opened her eyes and looked at Genkai, a few tears pooling down her face.

"Very good, girl. Very, very good." She said quietly, before nodding her approval. The break didn't last long before she had Kagome filling one hand with purification power and one with healing power. It was hard to do, but for now, it was enough.

"It isn't so difficult to call upon your power. Even in your untrained state you were able to create purification arrows, I was told, and channel your power into your bow, so I know that you have at least created ties to your power." The old teacher said, before continuing, "What we are going to focus on is battle. Agility, hand-to-hand combat, sword-fighting, and arrows. You will want to become as much of a master as you can at each area in order to be able to protect yourself properly." She said, and Kagome agreed. At least she wasn't getting hit upside the head right now.

"Yes, ma'am." She said again, before they stood and Genkai handed her a sword.

"We'll begin immediately." Were the only words of warning she got before she was rushed at by the old woman, with speeds that shocked her. The woman wasn't a demon, but she was certainly moving like one!

She only had time to block the parry before shifting to block another one. Within moments the sword was knocked from her hands and she quickly threw up a shield of her power-which would have stopped a demon, but it wasn't going to stop an energy manipulator such as Genkai. Kagome stood there with a blade at her throat before the woman shouted, "What the hell was that?! I am not a demon, yet you assumed to stop me as one? Where is your technique? Your form?!" she shouted, making Kagome shake, but not with fear-no, Kagome was spitting mad!

"You listen up! I learned how to use a bow in the past, not a sword, not a bone boomerang, and certainly not a staff or any other weapons! I had a **bow**, and that's all I fought with! There wasn't much time otherwise between running off and finding jewel shards and killing demons that we had to learn that sort of thing, so I'm so freaking terribly sorry that I'm inexperienced with a sword!" she shouted, her power swirling around her even more prominently because of her recent contact with it.

Genkai stepped back as he watched it swirl around her with curious eyes. She was an energy manipulator, but it really had been ages since she saw purification power, and in such great supply.

Kagome blinked as the woman stepped back and as she calmed, she saw the old woman lock eyes with her. "Your emotions are your strength…" she frowned softly, before sighing. This girl was reminding her a lot of Yusuke, and she wasn't sure if she wanted to be involved with her. When she had died the first time, she had to sit back and watch as he suffered. He had become attached, as did she, and it wasn't the best of situations to be in. Hell, one of the main reasons she lived away from everyone was because she didn't want to become attached to anyone. It seems the fates didn't see things the way she did.

Kagome looked curiously to her, her ire fading away to be replaced with confusion. "Genkai?"

The woman looked back to her before barking out, "Then we'll start from the beginning!"

And that was how she got to be spectacle of the current match between Kazuma and Genkai. She was by far the better fighter, but that was mainly because she took time to study her opponent. Kazuma just seemed to run in head first and wasn't watching the woman carefully.

Yusuke and Kurama had joined her on the sidelines as she watched, and every time Kazuma fell on his butt, Yusuke would laugh and cat-call to his best friend that he wasn't winning any fights on his ass.

That's how the two ended up in a fight fifteen minutes later, locked in a one-on-one brawl and rolling over on the ground like children.

And all of this led up to her ultimate demise—the one named Hiei was back and now he wanted to fight with her. One thought circled in her mind as she picked up her sword. _'I'm going to die again, aren't I?_'

Hiei had been watching with half amusement, half curiosity as the girl's power fluctuated rapidly and he moved from his spot in a nearby tree to one of the open doors on the other side of the building. He wouldn't deny his curiosity about her power. He knew that her miko powers could fry him if he let them, but he hadn't come in contact with miko power before. He had learned about it, sure, and had, from a distance, observed miko's and how their power worked, but he hadn't been on the receiving end of purifying power before, and for the sake of his own preservation, he wanted to learn more.

He watched as she struggled to heal herself (he could smell the slight trace of blood on the air) and then as she shouted back at Genkai for her horribly abysmal sword skills. He was ashamed to call them even that. She wasn't only bad, she was…well, there wasn't really a word for it that he could think of at the moment, proving just how bad she really was. So bad, in fact, that Genkai brought the oaf into the building to spar with her. His skills were improving, but were nothing compared to his own, and with the detective shouting his own choice comments at every blow, it wasn't long before the two were in a fight…again.

That was how he ended up being called in by the manipulator to work with the girl. A task he was currently denying with his entire being. She had to be crazy!

That old bat pulled a dirty trick on him though, calling Yukina into the room. Without her convincement, he wouldn't have to face down his worst opponent ever. He might as well have been facing down a child. The girl's sapphire eyes locked on his and he could see and almost taste her fear. Good. He didn't want her trusting him like she trusted the others of the team.

However, her thoughts were scrambling up and hitting him full force, making him reel back from it. The one that stuck out for him most however, was, '_I'm going to die again, aren't I?'_

The torrent of feeling that washed over him was one of despair and longing. Torn, between want, and dejection.

The feeling set his youkai on fire, and he growled out, as he drew his sword. Why did she invoke such feeling in him?

Were these feelings even his own?

He didn't know, and didn't want to know. He couldn't stop her thoughts from overloading on him, or her emotions from filling him. The hidden pain that tried to swallow him up via his Jagan was almost too much. What had this girl been through?

Before he could get too lost in the sea of emotions, he growled again, and attacked.

A/N: Sorry for the long awaited update. Hope you enjoy! Please R/R.

Kudo's Loves!

Sayuri-chan aka animeinvasiongirl


	7. Shelter from Her

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my writing.

A/N: Ugh, it's been sooo long since I last updated. I feel horrible for that! I'm sorry guys! Well, here's a *long-awaited* update! I hope you all enjoy. And I'll try and get updates on my other stories as well. Well, here goes!

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He lunged with sword drawn, intent to kill as he always was, and was surprised when she stopped his advancement, but only just, as he put more strength behind his blade, quickly pushing her blade towards her chest. He barely registered that her thoughts were even now overwhelming his mind as he heard a female scream.

Kagome's scream filled the air as her powers reacted on instinct and swelled, pushing Hiei back and flooring her from the sheer amount of power that filled her. She had never felt this amount of power before at her disposal and it had her downright terrified, as she struggled to reign it in. Unfortunately, considering her paltry training with her power it was almost a futile effort until Genkai stepped in with her own energies coming forth to help try and contain them.

It was only a moment and she realized that she wouldn't be able to even attempt to contain the girl's power, so she did the next best thing, and that was knock Kagome out with one swift blow to the head.

Kagome didn't have any forewarning of what Genkai was going to do until she felt a sharp pain at the back of her head that sent her sprawling into the world of darkness.

The moment the miko passed out, Hiei quickly did a check of his person to make sure that all of his limbs were in tact. After being reassured that she hadn't purified any of his appendages, he checked on everyone else to see them standing in astonishment near the girl.

For a moment he was speechless, and stunned. That moment passed before he settled for being stunned, mixed with a little of pissed off. However, curiosity rose to the surface as well as he looked over her seemingly ningen body. He had never felt such a power before, but the girl could have easily destroyed every demon in the room without a second of hesitation. On the other hand, she seemed entirely unaware of the power she possessed, and had no control over it. He didn't want to think about what would have happened if Genkai wouldn't have been able to get close enough to knock the girl out. He quickly wondered if another of her powers was to overwhelm her opponents with her thoughts, and at that he growled. She had succeeded where most had failed. She had managed to get him in an uncontrolled rage just by inflicting her emotions on him. How she did it, he didn't know, but he was determined to find out. He would not be put in a situation like he had been just seconds ago, and even if he had to tail her for years, he would find out what she had done to him, and how she had done it, so she could never do it again. Killing her was out of the question, because of the protection she had by Reikai, and if he killed her, he would never learn how it was she overwhelmed his mental barriers. Should he come across another opponent such as her, he could be overcome again, and that just would not do.

As he glanced over her body, he noticed that her power was quickly receding into her pale skin as quickly as it had come forth. Feeling that it was safe to approach her, he kneeled quietly next to her as the Jagan flared to life, quickly wanting to inspect the creature that had his senses reeling.

Genkai stepped forward and glared at the hiyoukai. "You will not let that thing loose in here or in her mind. I will not stop her should her body react to protect her again." She said harshly.

Hiei managed not to scoff, but he forced the Jagan back, with quite a bit of difficulty, he noted, before standing. The old woman was right. He wasn't sure how her body would react to being introduced to the Jagan, and he really didn't feel like being purified.

Yukina stepped forward to try and heal her but Hiei put a hand out to stop her. "She can heal herself, Yukina. She is a miko." His look and demeanor conveyed protection and worry, so the ice maiden paused, her soft blue eyes looking to Genkai for reassurance.

The old woman nodded before saying, "She will heal on her own. I don't want you to be hurt on accident by her power." Genkai knew next to nothing about how Kagome's power would react to unknown demons, and Yukina didn't need to be the test subject for her theories.

"Dimwit, pick her up and bring her inside. She won't be waking up for awhile." She barked out, as she headed for the door.

"But…!" he called out, his own uneasiness and worry easily heard.

"You are only hanyou. She won't hurt you. I guarantee it." She said, before heading out of the building.

Kuwabara, who had been dumbly silent for the past couple of minutes, finally spoke up. "That was amazing!"

"More like it was deadly, baka." Hiei growled out, before gesturing for Yukina to walk out first as he followed after her. He wouldn't let her get hurt by the strange ningen girl while he was there.

Yusuke gingerly picked the girl's body up before glancing to Kurama, who had been silent the entire time. One curious glance in his direction and he shook his head at the toushin, before gesturing out of the building. He would speculate later on his theories. For now, the girl needed to be put in bed. One thing was for certain, however. He had never seen such a power before.

Quietly, Yusuke walked into the main house and followed his mentor into a spare bedroom, where he deposited his cargo onto the bed before backing away from her. She seemed so innocent and peaceful lying there; it seemed impossible to him that she could be potentially dangerous to his health.

A whispered name, one filled with bitter regrets, secret longing, and overall, tortured memories slipped from the miko's lips. "Inuyasha…"

Glancing from her face to Genkai's, he raised a single eyebrow before frowning in silent thought. He didn't know who this Inuyasha person was, or who he was to her, besides what he had heard from the taiyoukai lord earlier this afternoon. Supposedly, the two were friends, though it was a little hard to believe that this miko girl could befriend a hanyou demon. Reserving judgment for later, he tried to fit some pieces of the puzzle together, but was coming up empty handed. Turning from her, he exited the room, determined to find out more about this strange miko, and her even more mysterious past.

When he headed down the stairs and away from the premises, he noticed right away that he wasn't alone. Youko wasn't going to leave this mystery unsolved, and if she wasn't going to give him answers (not like she could right now anyway), then he was going to do his own form of investigating—even if he had to throw a fit in the back of Kurama's mind (not that he had to in the first place) to do so. Both of them were curious about her, and her strange behavior, since the day they met her. To know that she was quite familiar with a taiyoukai lord and even a mother figure for a kitsune kit were pieces of information that intrigued the pair, and had them even more interested in what was hidden behind the mystery that was Kagome.

Hiei wasn't sure what compelled him to follow his comrades, but anything was better than assuming he was being somehow tied to the miko girl. He would not voluntarily stay around the shrine unless Yukina was in danger, and at the present time, the only threat lay with an unconscious miko. Pushing away the worried thoughts that wanted to surface, he stayed a little ways back from his closest companion and waited to see what kind of information would surface in the wake of his team-mates investigations.

Smirking lightly at the rest of his teammates, Yusuke was the first to navigate in a direction that was meaningful. He was going to the Makai, and hopefully he could entertain an audience with the Taiyoukai Sesshoumaru. Kurama followed him as well, having a similar thought in mind. Kuwabara, who wasn't as desperate for answers as the others, decided that maybe a trip to see her mother would be more beneficial and he headed towards the shrine, and surprisingly, Hiei followed.

The little hiyoukai could get some answers just as easily from combing her mother's mind, so now with a plan in motion, he made the trek towards the shrine where she was raised.

~*~

A little while later, Hiei and Kuwabara arrived on the shrine grounds, while Yusuke and Kurama crossed the barrier into the Makai. Watching as Kuwabara ascended the shrine steps, Hiei hopped from tree to tree, eventually coming to settle on a large solitary tree in the yard near a two story house that resided on the grounds. Scanning the area with his Jagan, he noted three persons on the property, two males and one female. Upon closer inspection, he saw one of the three persons sweeping steps, an elderly ningen with a scowling face.

Kuwabara came upon the man and upon asking for Kagome's mother by name, he was led into the house, disappearing from Hiei's sight, but not from his Jagan, which flared to life to help him listen in on their conversation.

Kagome's mother smiled upon seeing him, but her smile faltered at the look on his face. "Has something happened to Kagome?" she asked immediately, her own face taking on a look of fear and uncertainty.

"No, no, nothing like that, Higurashi-san." He assured her quickly. Taking an offered seat on the couch in the living room, he gathered his thoughts a moment before speaking again. "I wanted to know more about Kagome…and her friend, Inuyasha. Is there anything you can tell me? She won't speak about it at all, just saying that they were good friends. And she won't say what happened in the past either."

Glancing to him, Asako looked perplexed at his question. Normally, Kagome was upfront about her situation with Inuyasha, and at the very least she didn't waste any opportunity to praise her hanyou friend and tell everyone his strengths of loyalty and friendship. To hear this from one of her daughter's new friends was confusing. "Inuyasha…is one of a kind." Where her daughter would not speak fondly of him, she certainly would. He was like a second son to her. "…my daughter met him the first time she went into the past, and unsealed him from the Goshinboku. It was a rocky relationship at first, but he started to trust her and they became friends." She wouldn't mention her daughter's love for him, for it was not her place to say, even as a mother.

"How did that happen?" he asked. He had heard the story from Kagome when she was still in spirit form, he just wanted to confirm details and facts for himself.

"She just fell down the well. I'm not sure exactly why it was possible for her to go to the past, but she did, and then she shattered a jewel…you remember the story I told you? Well, it was true, and all of that came about because of a jewel called the Shikon no Tama. Kagome is the current guardian of it. She broke it in the past, and went searching with her friends, including Inuyasha, to find all the pieces. But there was an evil demon searching for the pieces too. His name was Naraku, but as you've already heard, her and her friends must have won against him, because she's back for good now." She smiled at that thought, obviously happy to have her daughter back home for good, and safe and sound.

"Naraku…yes, I was told about him from my boss." Kuwabara spoke aloud, before asking, "What kind of person is Inuyasha?"

"Oh, he's very loyal, and very strong. Kagome said he's a half-demon, but he looks human to me, except for his puppy ears." She chuckled before saying, "…the first time he came here I just had to touch them."

"I see…so he's a dog-demon? That makes sense because his half brother looked to be a dog demon too." He murmured to himself before Asako outburst, "Sesshoumaru-sama? You've met him? Kagome's told me that he tried to kill her before…I'm surprised he hasn't done that to you yet! He seems like such a bully…" she frowned before catching his surprised look.

Kuwabara was at a loss, but his confusion was nothing compared to that of Hiei's, who was listening to the entire conversation with growing frustrations and more questions than before he got here. If the revered demon lord tried to kill Kagome, how had she survived? Better yet, he helped bring her back to life! More mysteries seemed to crop up around the miko girl, but very little answers.

"Oh, he helped bring her back to…" he went to reply quickly, before he felt a spike of energy, that of Hiei's. The hiyoukai couldn't believe that he was about ready to spill the beans about what had happened, and though it wasn't any of his business what Kuwabara told the girl's mother, it might be more beneficial not to mention that little tidbit of information.

Asako was waiting for him to finish his sentence before he blushed sheepishly and added after a moment, "…helped…bring her to Kaede's! In the past. Or, that's what she said. I don't think Lord Sesshoumaru is that bad." He hastily covered over his blunder.

"I see. Well, I'd have to meet this so called "Lord" in order to change my opinion of him." She sniffed a bit, a light frown on her features.

"…what about Kagome's other friends? Can you tell me anything about them?" he asked, wanting to divert to a safer topic of conversation.

She looked thoughtful for a moment before saying, "The only one I knew a lot about was Shippou. Kagome was always showing me pictures he had drawn or asking me to get sweets for him." She smiled warmly before adding, "Shippou is a little fox kit that Kagome ran into soon after she started going to the past. He lost his parents to some other demons and she kind of took him under her wing. From what I understand, Kagome is like a mother to him, though I like to think of her as an older sister to him. My daughter, a mother! At her age? Certainly not…" she laughed softly, though she wasn't really joking about that last part.

Hiei was still unsure of how to take the information about Kagome's obvious affection towards the kitsune kit he had seen when she was reunited with her body. Her mother knew of the relationship and she wasn't against it at all and even sounded fond of the kit herself. This acceptance and even love of a demon, child or not, by a human, a human miko no less, was extremely confusing to him.

"I guess you're right." He laughed with her. Kuwabara had learned about Shippou, Miroku, and Sango from Kagome before when she was still a spirit, as well as he had met the fox child in question, but there wasn't much more that he knew about Inuyasha, and he seemed to be the one at the center of many of the mysteries about her.

~*~

Meanwhile, back in the Makai, Yusuke and Kurama were being seated in one of the meeting rooms in Sesshoumaru's castle. Kurama seemed at ease in the atmosphere, but Yusuke wasn't. He had little real manners when it came to royalty, but he got a feeling not just from Sesshoumaru's aura, but his demeanor and presence that he wasn't a demon to disrespect or fight with. He wasn't an opponent to ever take lightly, and right now, he just wanted information. Fighting with the taiyoukai wouldn't be in anyone's best interest.

Walking into the meeting room, Sesshoumaru noted both stances of Yusuke and Kurama and he almost smirked. He knew that soon he would be pressed for information. It just happened to be sooner than he expected. He remained quiet as he took a seat at the table, glancing over both of them expectantly, and waiting for one of them to break the silence. They were the one requesting an audience with him, not the other way around.

"Lord Sesshoumaru…" Yusuke started before getting straight to the point. It was the way he was. "...who is Inuyasha…besides your half brother…and who was he to Kagome?"

Kurama raised an eyebrow before looking back to the taiyoukai lord. Leave it to Yusuke to be blunt about the matter. At the very least, he knew that the taiyoukai before them would know what they were after: information.

"You want to know more about my half-brother? What does it matter…he's alive. She protected him. It happened almost 500 years ago. Though, I suppose it's just been a couple of months for Kagome." He added with a small frown.

The toushin and kitsune exchanged looks before Kurama spoke up this time. "She protected him? You mean she died for him." He said aloud, putting two and two together.

"She _protected_ him." He reiterated, as his tone held a bit of irritation. He hated thinking about that day. It was one thing that he had thought about everyday at least once for the past 500 years.

Both Yusuke and Kurama leaned back a little at that, going quiet a moment before Yusuke pressed on. "He lives here with you?" he questioned, tempted to meet the hanyou that Kagome, a human miko, had died for. He had to be something special for her to do such a thing, or, at least, that is what he thought. Kurama's thoughts weren't far away from his.

"Yes. Much to the displeasure of my son. He has his own quarters away from the castle." After a moments pause he added stiffly. "Do not go in search of him. He has yet to learn that Kagome is alive, and I wish to keep the information from him. I refuse to allow him to get close to her again." The bitter tone was evident in the stoic lord's voice, and it was easily picked up by Yusuke and Kurama. Something had definitely happened between Inuyasha and Kagome, something other than her giving her life for him. This just left the two even more curious than before, and before another word was spoken, they heard a door crash open behind them.

"You bastard! Just when were you planning on telling me that she was alive?!" a brash voice called out, earning looks from the three in the room.

"Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru replied quietly before looking to Kurama and Yusuke, who had instantly stood and got on guard at the loud bang from the door and the demon's shouting. He looked young, with dog ears upon his head and a bright red outfit for his clothing. He looked pissed, and he had a sword at his side, one he drew which seemed to magically transform before their eyes into a much larger weapon.

Quickly drawing a rose whip forth, Kurama got on the defensive in case the male tried to attack, but he needn't worry, because just as quickly as the sword transformed, it reverted back to its previous state, which wasn't something to brag about. It was dull and chipped in places, as well as blood stained. It seemed the hanyou didn't take care of his sword all that well, but on the contrary, the blood would never be washed off. The Tetsuseiga was forever to be stained with the injustices of his owner, a repercussion of her death, the miko's death, on his conscience.

Glaring at all of them he looked quickly to Kurama and Yusuke. "Just who the hell are you two? And what the fuck do you have to do with Kagome?!" Inuyasha shouted, glaring fiercely at them. "Don't tell me you're her new lovers. Feh. She didn't waste any time in replacing me. That bitch."

Eyes widening in surprise and then darkening in fury, Yusuke shouted back, "We're not her lovers!" but anything else was lost as Kurama stepped forward. Youko was beyond furious at the words that were spoken about Kagome and he was going to make one thing perfectly clear. "I don't know what you did to her in the past, but from what I understand, you wouldn't be here right now if it wasn't for her, so I would watch your tongue if I were you, half-breed. You're ill-mannered gratitude towards our friend will not be tolerated. And if I see you around her even for a moment, I will not hesitate to kill you." Youko's influence was heavy, and it showed as Kurama's normally vibrant red hair began to streak with silver strands and his eyes flashed to molten gold.

"Feh, like you can do anything to me, kitsune. And just for the record, I wouldn't go around throwing that "half-breed" term around." He smirked as he looked between Yusuke and Kurama. "Seems to me I'm not the only one in the room who falls under that category."

Sesshoumaru stepped forward at that point to stand between the detectives and his half-brother. "You will refrain from going to see her. She doesn't need you coming back in her life and if you wish to remain alive and living in this household, you will obey me."

With a glare he stepped up in Sesshoumaru's face before replying with a dark tone to his voice, "I will do whatever I please, brother." He spat. "And if she wants to see me, you can't stop me from seeing her. You forget that I am her first love. She will not just cast me aside." His arrogance wasn't lost on the detectives or the Lord as each one had to reign in their youkai spirits. This boy was long overdue for a reality check. First love or not, he didn't return those feelings it seemed. The way he acted was far too spiteful and proud for their liking, and they had to wonder what kind of hell he put Kagome through while she was alive her first time.

"You will learn your place, boy. She doesn't want to see you. She has accepted the fact that you don't want her, and don't love her. She accepted that as she died, or couldn't you tell that from her voice?" Sesshoumaru growled back at him, swiftly moving from his place behind his desk and in front of the inu-hanyou.

Startled, he took a step back, before brandishing his dull sword again. "I was her first love." He repeated again. "She still loves me." His face held uncertainty though, but he tried to keep up his fierce façade.

"You will never get a chance to find out. Stay away from her, Inuyasha, or I will not be responsible for the actions of these detectives or Shippou." He replied with a tone of finality as he forcibly pushed Inuyasha out of the way and gestured for Kurama and Yusuke, who had been quite silent up until now, to follow.

As they walked down the stairs that led to the front of the castle, Sesshoumaru elaborated for the confused detectives. "Inuyasha and Kagome had a very unusual relationship to one another. She was his first friend, and the first one to treat him as an equal. Kitsune…you remember what it would have been like in those days. Hanyous were given no respect and were treated as the scum of the earth. She never treated him as such. She was always by his side. She gave him one thing that no one else had ever done before: her loyalty."

Kurama nodded mutely. He remembered the days of the Feudal Era. Hanyous were the lowest of the low in both human and demon societies. To hear that Kagome had befriended him, and from the words heard in the meeting room, loved him, was something he was apt to not believe. His thoughts were interrupted as Sesshoumaru continued.

"Being from this era, and traveling to the past, she had no prejudice against anyone, be they human, demon, or hanyou. It got her more than her fair share of backlash, and even more so, earned her more respect from those who came to recognize it. She became friends with many demons, some of which were quite powerful and high up in their own societies, such as the Prince of the East, Lord Kouga."

"You mean_ the_ Kouga?! The king of the wolf tribes in the East?" Yusuke replied on impulse. He had met Kouga, and had fought him in one of the more recent Dark Tournaments. He was quite the opponent and was very strong.

"The one and only. She not only befriended him, but those in his pack as well. There were countless others she met along her journey's, and many of them are still alive to this day." He replied, giving one glance back to the toushin before looking back forward as they came to the bottom of the stairs.

"Forgive me, Lord Sesshoumaru, but it's a little hard to believe that she knew Lord Kouga, and that she knows you as well. It's baffling. She looks like nothing more than an ordinary mortal human girl." Kurama said, with the influence of Youko still present. The kitsune was still trying to figure out just what it was about this girl that seemed to draw in those around her.

"That is where you would be misled, Youko." He knew who was speaking right now, and it had been quite a few number of years since he spoke with the silver kitsune. "She is anything but ordinary. You have not known her long enough to discover just what it is that makes her different, but trust me when I tell you, given time, you will see what we do."

Kurama was quiet before Youko started to speak mentally, though it was to himself and not anyone in particular._ 'What is so special about one human girl? He hates humans…yet…he hasn't said one ill word against her…'_ Kurama could feel Youko's confusion but he didn't add his own mounting questions about the situation.

Stopped near the front door, Yusuke looked to the taiyoukai, before saying, "We'll keep her safe from him. It's our job, after all."

Turning to face both detectives he nodded before saying, "It's appreciated. Shippou will most likely be visiting soon. It has been tough on him to lose her at such a young age, and to grow up these many years without her."

"We'll look forward to seeing him." And with that, Yusuke waved good-bye before opening up the door to walk out, waiting just outside for Kurama.

"Kitsune…I know you doubt her worth, but I advise you as someone who has been in your position…do not doubt her sincerity. As a human, you will not come across someone more loyal than her. For a human, she has more strength of heart than I have ever seen in any creature. Trust me when I say to give her a chance. You will not be disappointed."

And with that, Sesshoumaru left Kurama's side, leaving him with a shocked expression on his face as he walked outside. Who was that demon and what had he done with the cold, heartless bastard he had known back in Feudal Japan? He had never heard him speak so fondly of anyone in his entire life, and that included the small child ward that he had adopted back in the day.

Yusuke saw the look of confusion and pondering on his friend's face, and he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Problems, Kurama?"

"It's nothing, Yusuke. We should probably get back. She most likely will be awake. I want to talk to her about her relationship with Lord Sesshoumaru. I still have a tough time with the fact that she knew him, and that he would speak so highly of her."

With a quizzical look the toushin asked, "What do you mean?"

Kurama started walking back toward the Ningenkai alongside Yusuke, replying, "The Lord Sesshoumaru I know would never praise a human, no matter what they had done for him, or what they had accomplished in their lifetime. He was not only praising her, but he was earnestly wanting to protect her from Inuyasha. I still don't know what all he has done to her, but it must have been pretty bad to get that kind of reaction out of him."

"Inuyasha…I really don't like that hanyou. We hadn't even said a word and he was accusing us of being with her. What kind of guy does that? He seemed like a jealous lover if you ask me, but from what Sesshoumaru said, I got the feeling that things didn't go so far between the two." The toushin said, thinking about all that had happened and all that was said in the meeting room.

Kurama had to smile a little bit. Yusuke was actually thinking about things and becoming smarter. He knew that the inu-hanyou had pushed a button with the toushin, but he had refrained from getting into a fight. _'Maybe this is a sign of him growing up.'_ Kurama voiced mentally. Youko just laughed._ 'That boy will never "grow up".'_

Speaking aloud now, the kitsune replied, "I don't like him either. He seemed like a spoiled child who's favorite toy was taken away. I wonder how Lord Sesshoumaru has dealt with him for all these years."

"I'd have had a beat down right there if Sesshoumaru hadn't stepped in. That guy just pissed me off. Speaking about her like that. I don't think Kagome's the type to just sleep around, but that's what he was getting at." Yusuke said, placing his hands behind his head as they walked.

"I know. I guess we'll just have to talk to her and get to know her better ourselves. But first things first, she's going to have to get her powers under control. She could easily take us out if what happened today happens again." Kurama added, looking to his friend.

"No kidding! That was amazing, but it made my skin crawl. That energy was so pure, but it wasn't something I'd like to feel again." Yusuke exclaimed, shivering lightly for emphasis.

"I have to wholeheartedly agree."

~*~

Back at Genkai's shrine, Kagome was just waking up, and she felt the pulsing of pain at the back of her head. Wincing, she moved to sit up only to lay back down. "Ugh…" she voiced quietly, as her world spun quite fiercely.

"So you're awake. I'm glad. I didn't know how long you would be asleep for. Genkai hit you pretty hard on the back of the head. You gave us all a scare, Kagome-chan." A soft voice came to her ears as she looked over to see Yukina sitting on a chair near her bed.

"She's the one who hit me?" Kagome replied with confusion before she blinked and it all came back to her. "Oh damn…is everyone else alright? Did I hurt anyone?" she asked quickly, leaning up as her face filled with worry.

"No, no. Everyone is fine. You didn't hurt anyone."

"What about Hiei? He was closest to me when I lost control of my power…" the miko asked, obviously very worried about the hiyoukai, even though it was him who was at ends with her via his sword.

"Hiei is fine…he got away without a scratch. Yusuke was the one who carried you in here, but, they all went away somewhere. None of them are back yet." The cerulean haired girl informed her, before offering her a cup of water. "Are you thirsty?"

Taking the cup, Kagome just nodded before she took a drink. _'I…scared them all. They'll probably want nothing more to do with me. I can't believe I lost control like that! I've never had so much power at my command before…'_

"You're awake, finally. I must say, that display of power was quite impressive, Kagome." A voice interrupted her thoughts.

"Genkai…"

"The only problem was that neither one of us were expecting that kind of energy to come from you. I put you in that position and your fear must have triggered something. I am curious to see what all you can do with your powers." The older woman said, giving a smirk to the miko.

"You mean…you'll still train me? Even after what happened?" Kagome asked, worried about this whole situation.

"Of course. Accidents happen, and like I said…I did not anticipate such a reaction from you. For awhile, I think it's best if I train you alone. We can work on other weaponry other than the sword. I'm sure the guys aren't in any hurry to want to practice with you." Genkai said, her smirk flattening into a small frown.

"Not after today they aren't…." Kagome said softly, looking away to the window in the room. Shaking off her upset, she looked to her new teacher. "When can we get started again?"

"Impatient are we? Well I can't say that I don't enjoy an enthusiastic pupil. Kami knows that Yusuke is less than enthusiastic about training." She smirked, with a small twinkle coming to her eye. "We can start as soon as you can stand without your world spinning. I gave you quite a blow to the head."

Moving to stand, Kagome gripped the corner of the bed and held herself up on her two feet. Like before, her world was spinning wildly but she shook it off as best she could. "Right now, if we could. I don't want something like that to happen again. I have to learn to control my power, if I don't…someone might get hurt….someone I don't want to get hurt." She said fiercely, her face set in determination.

With slightly widened eyes, Genkai looked Kagome over once more. She hadn't known Kagome for more than a few hours and yet she had a growing respect for the girl. "I see. Well I can't deny a blatant truth such as that. Yukina?"

"Yes, Genkai?" the ice maiden replied.

"Help Kagome into the spiritual room. I'm sure walking and fighting are out of the question, but that doesn't mean meditation is. For now, that, I believe, is the best course of action to control her power." The older woman replied, before nodding to the young miko, and then leaving the room.

Smiling to Kagome, the cerulean haired girl offered her a hand. "I'll show you the way, Kagome chan. I'm sure Genkai will be able to help you very much. She knows everything there is to know about energy manipulation, and don't worry…no one will get hurt." She tried to reassure her.

"Uh…right…" Kagome replied, rather uncertainly, but she tried to smile and show a positive face to the young ice maiden.

Led into the room, Genkai was already in a light trance as Kagome made her way over next to her.

"You may leave us now, Yukina, thank you." Came the soft voice of the energy manipulator as Kagome crossed her legs and got comfortable.

"You're welcome, Genkai. I shall be making supper, if you need me." She replied, before disappearing out of the training room.

"A light trance, Kagome. From there, we'll see what we can do about controlling this power of yours." The older woman said quietly, still in her own trance.

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/chapter

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A/N: As always, thanks to the reviewers. You are the guys who make it worth writing, and inspire my muse.


	8. Shelter from Hate

A/N: Here's another chapter for you all to enjoy. ^_^

Searching for Shelter

Chapter Eight

Shelter from Hate

Within an hour or so of each other, the detectives had returned to Genkai's shrine to find a rather gentle aura floating over the premises. Normally, one with extraordinary spirit energy could feel the darkness of the forest behind Genkai's temple, but that dark aura was greatly diminished in the wake of the still power that seemed to caress at each of them in an almost loving manner.

"What is this…" Yusuke voiced quietly, distrust in his voice as he took in the power and glanced around to see if he could find the source.

"Welcome back, Yusuke…Kurama." Genkai's voice called out, gaining their attention.

"Don't give me that "Welcome back" shit, Grandma…what the hell happened here?" Yusuke shouted back brashly as he faced his mentor down.

"Dimwit, can't you even feel out who has done this? Her signature is all over this power…I taught you better than that!" she shouted back harshly, before jumping up and thwaping him upon his head.

Grabbing the growing lump, he growled lightly before looking back to Kurama, who looked, rather confused.

"She did all of this, Genkai?" he finally asked, as he got a nod of affirmation from the old energy manipulator.

"She is quite strong, and it didn't take long for her to get a lock on this energy of hers. She is a miko, and her first instinct was to clense and purify this shrine. I'd say she's done more than spectacular at it, wouldn't you?" she smirked, obviously proud of the girl's accomplishment in such a short amount of time.

"I'd say so…" he replied softly before Yusuke asked, "...are Hiei and Kuwabara back yet?"

"They arrived about an hour ago. Kuwabara is training with Yukina somewhere around here, and Hiei, well, who knows about that boy." She replied, before moving towards one of the training buildings.

"What about Kagome? Where is she at?" The toushin asked quickly, earning another soft smirk from Genkai.

"Training. What else. She wouldn't stop even when I advised that she should. She wants to learn more, so, she's practicing with her power right now. I advise you stay away from training building three, if you value your life." And with that, she disappeared into one of the other training buildings, leaving Yusuke and Kurama to stand there and contemplate this new interesting detail about the time-traveling miko.

It wasn't three seconds and Yusuke was heading towards the building that Genkai had told him to stay away from. He involuntarily shivered as he opened the door and felt her power wash over him, and though the sensation was unusual, it wasn't an entirely bad feeling. It was even a little…calming.

Eyes closed, Kagome continued to manipulate small portions of her power in her hands, while also sending out bursts of it all around her, keeping the area around her pure. She had no idea that she had purified the entirety of the shrine grounds, but she was acutely aware of the returning presences of the detectives.

When Yusuke came very close to her vicinity, she panicked a little as she shifted positions, to face him, though she kept in her trance state. Delicately letting her power touch him, she almost smiled. He was a hanyou. She had known before that something was different with him, but this just helped solidify it for her. She wasn't sure what kind of demon he was, but it was a powerful breed. Her power was telling her all sorts of things about him, and he had not said a word. Frowning to herself, she pulled her power back. She didn't want to learn things about him like this. It seemed like a huge invasion of privacy, and if she wanted to keep her own secrets intact, she wasn't about to jeopardize that by snooping into his secrets.

Yusuke just stared at her a full minute or two, mesmerized. Her skin was a pale pink that seemed to shift with an invisible veil of power, a power he was all too familiar with from earlier this afternoon. However, he wasn't sure what it was, but he couldn't take his eyes from her form. If beauty needed defining, he was sure that Kagome could do that at the moment. He had recognized that there was a beauty about her, a beauty that seemed ordinary, but on second glance, it was a beauty that could pull one in slowly. He had seen that when she had first smiled. Even though it was a sad smile, it was still beautiful.

Shaking his head of these dangerous thoughts, he stepped further into the training room, assured at the gentle caress to his person that she wouldn't hurt him, and that she had her powers under control. "Kagome?" he questioned aloud, hoping that he wasn't startling her. That would be the last thing they needed.

She didn't reply at first, but she noted that his tone was curious, and even relaxed. For that she was glad. At least he didn't sound afraid of her. Allowing herself some time, she slowly pulled her power back into her body, as Genkai had instructed her. She could feel it pulsing within her, even raging a little as she got used to the feeling of so much power at her disposal.

"Yusuke…you're back." She said softly, before opening her eyes and giving him a gentle smile. She was nervous, it was plain to see. Her eyes quickly went over his form to check for wounds or anything to indicate that she had hurt him earlier in the afternoon, but he seemed fine. The young toushin could easily see her distress, but he wasn't sure what it was over.

"What's wrong?" he asked, a frown coming to his face.

"It's…nothing. I was just…" Kagome trailed off before looking away. "…I wanted to make sure I didn't hurt you." She finally finished, before looking back to his chocolate brown eyes.

At that statement he couldn't help but smile a bit. "I'm fine. You didn't hurt anyone. If anything, you impressed us. That was an amazing blast of power."

Blushing lightly, she looked away once more before saying, "…you don't have to lie to me. If you're scared of me, you can admit it. To be honest…I was really scared at that moment." She replied softly before adding, "I didn't want to hurt anyone. Not after you all have been so nice to me, and protecting me when you shouldn't have to. I realize that I'm weak, but I'm trying to get stronger so I won't need people or demons to protect me anymore. Not over the jewel, and my duty. You understand…right?"

She left that question hang in the air as Yusuke struggled to get a handle on her words. She thought she was weak, and even he could hear the dejection in her voice. What would he have to do to get to see her confident in herself? Ever since the moment he met her, he realized that she had no self confidence and was even apologetic over things that weren't in her control. There were few that he knew that were like that naturally, so all that left him to conclude was that she was abused to the point she was at right now…and all he could think of was the hanyou, and the words that had been spoken earlier in the day. Their relationship seemed complex at best, and yet, the hanyou was confident to the point of conceited where Kagome was concerned.

Shaking his head lightly, he took a seat Indian-style in front of her on the floor. "Don't worry about all of that. Just as long as you're trying to do your best, and you realize that we're here to help because we want to, everything will be fine. It wasn't your fault that happened earlier. Grandma should have realized what she was dealing with before things went that far, so don't let it bother you." He explained, as if he were talking to a small child. Somehow, his feelings were starting to shift to that of an older brother to a little sister, and this particular little sister was going through some tough times at the moment.

"Not everyone is here because they want to be, Yusuke. You and I both can name a few people who are troubled by my being here. It might have been better if I had just…given up. If I didn't come back, then Koenma could have the jewel right now and he could be taking care of it." Kagome replied, dropping her eyes to her lap.

Yusuke almost laughed, if the seriousness hadn't been so thick in her voice. "Koenma? Protect anything? That's a laugh, Kagome." He tried to smile, to lift her spirits. "Have I ever told you the story of how I met Kurama and Hiei?" he asked.

Lifting her eyes, Kagome shook her head "no". They hadn't talked of serious things, or of personal things often. Most of the time he just joked with her, and tried to get her to smile or laugh. It was better that way then, now however, she had a future. What her uncertain future would hold, she wasn't sure, but right now, Yusuke was in it.

"You'll laugh when you hear it. I met Hiei and Kurama because they stole three artifacts of darkness along with a demon named Gouki from the Spirit Realm vaults. High class security vaults too, mind you." He smirked lightly when Kagome's eyes widened.

"You're serious? How come they're not in jail, or worse?" she asked, never before hearing this story, and wondering how it was that they all seemed like such good friends now, if two of them were thieves of the Reikai itself. Additionally, Koenma seemed to trust them quite implicitly, which added more questions to the number of them forming as the seconds passed in her mind.

"Well, back then, Hiei was on this whole 'world domination' kick, but I don't think he was serious in the attempt. "He added the after thought quickly at Kagome's frightened look. She had known far too many demons that were really serious about taking over the world, and dominating over humans. Taking her relaxing features as a sign to continue, he started again. "Kurama was looking for a way to save his human mother, who was terminally ill in the hospital, and Gouki, well, he was just a bad apple who had a fetish for eating children's souls." He grumbled that last bit out, earning another frightened look from the young priestess.

"C…Children's souls?" she exclaimed a little, her mind flashing back to that of the Feudal Era, and a child-like carnation of Naraku, named Kanna. The small girl had a mirror that sucked souls from humans, and her only saving grace had been the size of her soul.

"Yeah…but don't worry. I put a stop to him before he could do any damage here. He wanted the Orb of Bask, which allows the holder to steal the souls of people with no effort at all. He nearly killed me, but I took care of him before he did, and rescued all the souls he had stolen. Out of the three he is the only one that I killed, which I'm glad for. Kurama and Hiei are two of my best friends now." He explained further, noticing that she seemed calmer after his reassurances.

"That's good! But…you didn't explain what happened to Kurama and Hiei." She pushed a little, interested in hearing the story.

Yusuke laughed softly before saying playfully, "I'm getting there! Sheesh...Kurama had taken the Forlorn Hope, a mirror that reflected the deepest desire of anyone who looked into it, but not without a price. The price, was life, and Kurama was willing to give up his life to save his Mom. I got there in time to stop the mirror from taking his life, and because of my own self-sacrifice, the mirror granted his wish without taking anything." He looked away, a light flush on his face. Talking about this with her of all people hurt a little. He had "sacrificed" himself for someone else, and had ended up eluding death, she had done it and had been viciously killed. It seemed almost cruel of him to word it as he did.

"That sounds more like Kurama. Wanting to save his mother." Kagome smiled, looking tenderly to the young toushin. "And don't look so embarrassed! You did a really good thing, you should brag on yourself when you do something nice like that. Especially because I asked." She smiled a bit brighter, before reaching out a hand to place over his. "Please, continue?"

At her words and soft touch, he quickly looked to her. She had misinterpreted his action, but he was glad for it. Her touch was gentle and her words sincere, something he was growing more and more accustomed to.

"Alright, well, the next person was Hiei, and boy, that wasn't an easy battle. He had stolen the Shadow Sword, which is a sword capable of turning humans into zombies with just a single cut. Basically, he could create an army out of humans with that sword. He kidnapped Keiko and turned her into a demon to piss me off and provoke me. It worked, but with a little bit of luck, I knocked him out long enough for the Reikai to pick him up and deal with him. Back then, I was pretty weak when it came to my spirit power, but since then it's grown a lot." He pumped his arm lightly for emphasis.

"Keiko…who is that? And what happened to Hiei and Kurama after the Reikai took them back?" Kagome asked, missing Yusuke's macho moment.

"Oh, uhm…Keiko has been my friend since childhood, and she's sort of my girlfriend now. As for Hiei and Kurama, they made deals with Koenma to be spirit detectives with me as a service to the Reikai. Call it, community service for demons. Hiei was pissed at first, but he seems like it doesn't bother him too much anymore. And Kurama never really had a problem with it. Kuwabara just kind of roped himself into it during one of our missions." He explained, as he rubbed the back of his head lightly.

"Sort of your girlfriend?" Kagome teased, pushing away a bit of sadness that wanted to rear its ugly head. "…and I think it still bothers him, he just tries to be a tough guy and not show it. He's certainly open enough about hating me." She added quietly, letting out a soft breath.

Leaving the girlfriend comment be, he went for the more interesting bit of dialogue that Kagome had spoken. Was she talking about Hiei? "He doesn't hate you. It just seems like that."

"I don't know what you'd call it, but to me, it's hate. He doesn't even want to be in the same room as me. And I was certain he wanted to kill me earlier today…" she trailed off, finally looking to Yusuke's eyes.

He saw the honesty and pain within her sapphire eyes, and he just shook his head. Why did she let so many things bother her and bring her down? She was alive! She was healthy! Her family was safe! Hell, today she had been reunited with her "son" and even had seen her family…wasn't there anything that she could latch onto to keep herself happy at all? Maybe it wasn't a matter of what things were there to be happy about, but what kept her from being truly happy.

"He's just confused. You're different to him, and you're a change from the everyday. Hiei doesn't like change. Not at all." A new voice chimed in, making Kagome look quickly to the doorway. Kurama walked slowly into the room, having walked up on the conversation around Yusuke's explanation of how he helped him save his mother.

"You didn't see the way he looked at me when I..." Kagome started to speak, but stopped, her eyes moving to her lap again. "…he hates me. I…saved him, and…"

"….WHAT?" Yusuke voiced, his eyes turning wide. Kurama knew a little of what she was talking about, though he didn't get the full story of what had actually happened that day in the Reikai, when she had killed hundreds in the wake of Midoriko's holy blast of energy.

She didn't elaborate, so Kurama took the stage as he explained. "The day Midoriko tried to purify the Shikon within Kagome's body, she nearly took Hiei with it, but Kagome saved him somehow with her spirit energy that was locked within her spirit egg."

Yusuke quickly looked to Kagome. "Is that true?" he had done that too, to save Keiko from his burning house, but for her to do it for _Hiei_ of all demons…no wonder he was so pissed off at her. Even he knew how the hiyoukai hated being protected or helped out during dangerous missions. To have someone who wasn't a teammate, but a woman, and miko human at that, save him, was certain to have the hiyoukai in hostile spirits.

She nodded quietly, before saying, "He…was going to get purified. I couldn't let that happen."

"But, there were others near you, you could have saved any one of them, why Hiei?" he asked again, before the hiyoukai's voice could be heard. "It sounds like you wanted me dead, detective." Hiei growled out darkly, before moving into the training room. Now that Kagome's powers had been quiet for the past few minutes, he felt it was safe to check in on her. After learning a little more about her from her mother, and about the mysterious Inuyasha, he felt the need to perhaps unearth the rest of her past. If he could learn more about her, maybe could figure out how she pushed her emotions onto him, and how she had emotionally overwhelmed him when they were in battle with one another. He had nearly forgotten that she had saved his life as well, until he overheard their last bit of conversation.

"Of course not, Hiei! I was just curious as to why she'd pick you from that roomful of demons. You're not exactly Mr. Sunshine." The toushin replied, looking back to his teammate.

"Hn." He replied in kind, though mentally he was curious as well. He hadn't thought about that. She could have saved anyone in that room, and yet, she picked him. He distinctly remembered slicing his katana through her spirit form before she did that too. With his very real threat to her person, she still chose to save him, despite that. Why?

"…appearances can be deceiving." She replied quietly, and with that, she stood, moving to walk past all of them. She was tired of talking about this and thinking about that day. It was a huge mistake on her part, and a heavy burden on her heart. So many had been killed that day, and all of it had been because of her. Hiei was her saving grace. Even one person who could be saved because of her, instead of killed, helped ease the pain on her heart. Even if he hated her, even if he never spoke a kind word to her at all, he was alive. Just like Shippou, and Sango, and Miroku, and…Inuyasha. They were alive because of her sacrifice. Her death completed the Shikon, and helped ensure Naraku's downfall. That was all that mattered. As long as her death meant something, it was okay. In her mind, it was alright if she were gone. No one would miss her long enough for her existence to matter, so death was trivial….a minor inconvenience to her, the "Guardian of the Shikon no Tama." They'd just find another one. She was sure of it.

"…ah…Kagome…" Yusuke murmured quietly after her, but she didn't hear him as she disappeared out of the dojo and to the fresh air outside. Eyes widening lightly for a moment, she took in the sight of holy energy floating over the property. Had she done this? It seemed unnatural, like a dream. Surely she wasn't capable of something this extraordinary…? Her thoughts strayed as she wandered to the forest nearby. A calming walk would be good for her, as she tried to sort out her thoughts and feelings.

"Good going, Yusuke. You've got her upset again." Kurama voiced aloud, a disapproving look on his face.

"Shut up, Kurama. I didn't say anything except I was wondering why she picked Hiei. Not that I'm knocking it at all…" he added quickly to the hiyoukai, who seemed rather irritated with the toushin at the moment.

"Hn. Maybe its best if you leave it be, detective. After all…you weren't involved at all." Hiei replied, before turning to leave. He was done with this conversation. She had said something interesting, and it only made him a little more curious about her. _"…appearances can be deceiving…"_

Shaking his head lightly of the words, he disappeared out of the dojo and noticed that Kagome was out of sight. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, he let his Jagan scan the area slowly and quickly picked up her trail; she was heading for the forest. Quietly, he hopped into a nearby tree and started to follow after her. His previous thoughts of wanting to stay away from her, and wanting to feel as if he wasn't tied to her at all had changed slightly in the wake of information learned from her mother, and from the conversation just held in the dojo. They were tied together, even if he didn't want them to be. She had sacrificed something to save him…something that was as good as her life. Her chance to return to life had been sacrificed to protect him. Yusuke's question was as valid as his own: Why?

Kurama, still inside the dojo, looked from his departing friend to Yusuke. _'So…Hiei really is interested in the miko girl.'_ Youko voiced mentally.

'_Interested?'_

'_Yes…you saw the way he oh-so-politely told Yusuke to butt out of his business. He identifies with that situation as a personal matter. I don't think it was just because he was rescued by a human girl. He wasn't speaking with malice, but with curiosity. I think Yusuke has brought new questions forth that Hiei didn't think about before. Though his point is valid. Why __**did**__ she save him, when she could have picked anyone else in that room?'_ Youko explained.

'_I have no idea. I never asked her and she never offers up information about herself very freely.'_ Kurama voiced back_. 'You think it was personal? Or maybe it was a split-second decision…'  
_

'_I don't think so, Red. When Yusuke pushed at her she said that appearances can be deceiving. It seems unusual that she would talk about Hiei like that. From what I understand, they haven't talked much at all. She barely knows him. Yet, she would make such a statement.'_ Youko interjected.

Before their conversation could go further, they noticed that they were standing alone. Sometime in their mental conversation Yusuke had also exited the dojo.

Shaking his head, Kurama headed out of the dojo too, and noticed that Yusuke was headed for the shrine steps. He was going home it seemed, which left the kitsune to try and figure out what he wanted to do. To continue his investigation or not? One glance towards the forest and he decided. Tonight, he would leave this investigation be, but tomorrow, he wanted to get answers. That figured out, he left the shrine too, and made his way back to his mother's apartment.

Kagome, alone again, finally came to a rest as she took a seat against a large tree near an expansive, translucent lake. It seemed Genkai's property had a little bit of everything. In the distance, she could see a small mountain range, in front of her was that lake, and around this lake, was a vast forest. It reminded her of the Feudal Era and with that thought she let a soft sigh escape her lips. She missed her friends terribly. She had never gone so long without seeing them before, even when she traveled between times. She wondered if Sango and Miroku were doing well. Was Kohaku doing alright? She couldn't imagine the hardship that he had gone through…for him to just die would be wrong, so she decided to do what she could, and even if those memories never left him, he was alive. And she hoped that he wasn't letting the past interfere with his chance to live. At the thought of Sango, however, a soft smile came to her lips. They would do just fine. Sango wouldn't let him live in self-pity. They were demon slayers. They would overcome all obstacles that life decided to throw at them.

With that thought now in her mind, she pulled her knees to her chest. What was she doing with her life now? The self pity she felt wasn't easily leaving her. She had sacrificed much in the past, but she had gained a lot too. Naraku was gone, Inuyasha was alive, the Shikon no Tama was complete and she was now back in her own time, like it was supposed to be in the first place. Some things never changed though. She was alone again. Before her travels to the well, she had lived a normal, teenage life, though she was as alone then as she was now. Sure, she had friends, but she wasn't as close to them as she would have liked to be.

Being in the Feudal Era, surviving things that would kill normal human beings, and doing so with a small knit group of friends around her, they became like a second family to her. They made her life worth living; made it worth going through the many trials and tribulations to overcome all that was thrown at them. But now, she had only a few singular goals in mind. She had to learn to control her power, and learn to protect the jewel on her own. She had to because she wasn't sure how long her new found protectors would stay around her. She hadn't told them of what had happened in the past, but she knew that they were smart enough to figure things out for themselves. There were many that died by her hand, and many that died just because they tried to protect her. She wouldn't let anything happen to them if someone else attacked them, but she wasn't very confident that she wouldn't hurt them by her own hands. It scared her that she had so easily lost control, and that she had almost killed someone that was innocent. Hiei had done nothing to her, and yet he was almost a victim to her uncontrolled power. She felt guilt weigh heavily in her heart, a guilt that wasn't going to go away any time soon. In becoming strong, she wanted no causalities. However, she already had blood on her hands. All those lives in the Reikai that were taken because of her, because of the jewel, haunted her. No matter how many times everyone told her that it wasn't her fault, she would take blame and responsibility…because it was her burden to bare. She was the protector of the Shikon.

Reaching up a hand, she wiped a single tear away, before whispering to the wind. "Why did it have to turn out this way…Midoriko?"

Hiei had watched as the young miko girl went deep into thought. Her face looked so gentle and forlorn that it pulled at his consciousness in an unusual way. Already, his Jagan was on the alert and clawed to be let free, so it could see what was in the girl's mind. It was curious and actively seeking the secrets that lay behind her sad, sapphire eyes. Hiei had heard her softly spoken words and let them mule over in his mind a few moments. Midoriko was a name he remembered from that short time ago, where he had seen just how deadly and capable Kagome's power was. From his own recollection of stories and fables he had heard over the years, Midoriko was the most powerful miko to ever live, and she had gone against three very powerful demons. She had fought them for days, but in the end, she had lost her life to them, but not before sealing her spirit, and theirs, in one small, pink jewel, thus creating the Shikon no Tama. The jewel was one of immense power, and even a shard fragment of it could exponentially increase ones power. He remembered hearing that it came under the guardianship of a group of demon slayers, before it fell under the care of a priestess. He learned to ignore most of the other rumors about the jewel, mainly because of the danger that also surrounded it. Rumor had it that countries and tribes fought over it, and much blood was spilt because of it, until it disappeared, and the rumors became just that, rumors. Rumors of a jewel that may or may not have existed at all. Apparently, the rumors weren't all based in falsity.

Turning his attention back to the young priestess, he saw that she had fallen asleep against that large tree she was leaning against. Smirking at the opportunity that presented itself, he finally let the Jagan free. He would get the answers he sought, and he was sure that in her exhausted state, he wouldn't be nearly in as much danger as he was earlier when her power was let free.

Kagome had felt someone nearby, but she was certain of who it was, and she wasn't nearly so untrusting as to think that he would do something to her. Letting her guard down, which may or may not have been the wisest of choices, she let herself drift into a light sleep. So much energy went into the manipulation of her power that a nap sounded really good right now, and sleep helped ease the pain she felt in her heart. She wouldn't burden anyone else with her thoughts and feelings. She never bothered her friends in the past with what she felt or thought, and she surely didn't want to voice her thoughts here. She barely knew her new companions, and trying to change that just seemed like suicide at the moment. She had nearly lost the one person she loved the most in the world, if it had not been for her instantaneous reaction. She didn't want something like that to happen again. Even though she was alone, she wanted to keep her distance from them. She didn't want any of them to get hurt because of her.

It was her number one priority: to protect them….even if it was from herself.

The Jagan paused near her mind, glancing over the sleeping miko before it touched against her mental barriers. Kagome had never been one with immense mental control, and even with her powers simmering just below the surface of her skin, it was nothing to break down that thin mental veil that protected her innermost secrets and memories.

Hiei paused at how easy it was to enter her mind. He assumed that it would be much more difficult to scope out her memories than what was actually happening, but after a moment or two, he finally just shrugged it off as her weakness. Though he had seen how powerful she was he knew she was untrained. Luck was with him on this day, as he knew that soon, Genkai would have her learn to protect herself in all aspects, starting with her mental barriers.

Focusing back on the task at hand, he glanced around her memories with barely concealed interest. There was a lot going on in her mind, and many memories that were circulating in an almost frenzied manner. _'Starting at the beginning would be best…'_ he thought mentally as he found very early memories of her childhood. She was crying, and it wasn't hard to see why. She was at a wake, with a baby in her arms. It certainly wasn't her child, but the resemblance was unmistakable. It was her baby brother, but where was her mother? Glancing around, he noticed that her mother was being comforted by others, and his eyes traveled back to the picture that Kagome was staring at. _"What will they do without a father?"_ an unfamiliar female voice was heard. Two and two were put together easily. She had lost her father when she was just a child. He understood that more clearly that she probably realized. He had never known his father, or his mother, being what he was. He was outcast shortly after he was born, and he nearly died during those first couple of years of his life. He had survived though, and had become stronger. He was a demon however. He couldn't really understand how humans moved forward after the death of someone close to them. Emotions were something he never really understood.

Moving past that memory, he noticed how closed off she had become emotionally, from her mother, brother, and grandfather. She showed nothing but a smile, but he could feel how isolated she kept herself emotionally. That changed, when she entered the Bone Eater's Well. He could feel her growing sentiment and emotion towards an inu-hanyou named Inuyasha. _'So…that is the hanyou she befriended.'_ He thought mentally, though 'befriended' was a very large understatement. She had fallen in love with him, even though he saw over and over how many times the half-demon had betrayed her trust. It made him angry to see the tirades of disrespectful words that were thrown at her by him, and it almost made him lash out at her, when she stood there and took it most times. He had noticed that she had a spitfire personality however, one that made itself known as she took subjugation over him with just a simple word. She had taken more abuse that he realized in the beginning, as he watched what she had seen. She had been overshadowed by a woman named Kikyou. Someone who was a previous protector of the jewel, and someone that Inuyasha had loved, and was loved in return. He saw the circumstances that led to her "revival", and it nearly made him ill as he saw how much suffering Kagome went through after that, because the inu-hanyou had picked her over for the undead body that was his former love.

Who would willingly choose the dead over the living? Had he been the hanyou, he wouldn't have half-heartedly made promises of devotion if he knew that he couldn't keep his word. To him, trust like what Kagome had offered him was something that was more valued than life itself. From his own experiences in his life, he knew that true devotion and loyalty was rarer than the most precious stone or metal. He had only known a handful of demons and humans who actually fit that description, and they were currently in the small group of detectives that worked for the Reikai. He would trust no others outside of the small group of fighters besides a demon woman he had known almost since birth, and she had permanent residence in the Makai.

Something else that got Hiei's attention in her mind was that of a small kitsune kit that she took in her care. He had noticed that almost suddenly, a small child kit was traveling alongside her and the inu-hanyou, and yet, it was as if nothing had really changed. Kagome had taken the child as her own it seemed, and cared for him like she would her own child. She scolded him when he was bad, rewarded him when he was good, and protected him fiercely when it came to battle and being in danger. She protected him more fiercely than she did herself, which was more than he ever could have imagined, seeing as how she was a human, and the kit, a demon. It was throwing everything he knew about humans and their perceptions of demons into chaos. Seeing these images, he couldn't help but feel a little ashamed at himself at his behavior towards her. He really knew nothing about her, and yet he treated her like he would any other human. He assumed that she was like the rest of her race, and like the other miko women he had ever encountered, but he was wrong. She was nothing like anyone else he had ever met in his life, and he was slowly starting to realize that it was not necessarily her fault for her overwhelming emotions on him. Perhaps it was just because of the lack of mental barrier that allowed him, with the Jagan, and his extreme power that picked up all her thoughts and emotions. Shaking that thought away for now, he focused on other memories in her mind.

He watched as the hanyou slowly degraded the small woman's self worth to that of nothing over the extended period of time that she was in the past, and he saw as she kept her faith and love in the hanyou, never wavering in her love or devotion, even until the last moment of her life. Standing almost in shock, he watched as she raced in front of a deadly attack by Naraku in order to protect and save Inuyasha, even after he had given up, upon seeing his former love fall at the hands of the evil hanyou. He knew that she had taken a particularly severe blow, but she had taken it to protect someone else, and that someone else didn't seem to really care for her or respect her in any manner, even after all she had given for him. Her confidence and mental worth were cast aside as she kept her strength in him, and never forsake him. No matter how much he hurt her, she never returned the favor, though he knew it was definitely in human nature to be vengeful when they were wronged, and in his eyes, Kagome had been very wronged indeed. The hanyou, a race of demon that was despised even as much as those like him were, had been given a gift that he tossed away as if it were invaluable, like a stick in a forest or a pebble on a mountain side.

Quickly, he threw those thoughts aside. It was not his place to revenge the miko. If she wanted to be a fool and keep giving and giving when the hanyou would keep taking and taking, then that was her business. Even if he didn't like it.

Moving away from her, he felt that he understood her a little better now, or rather, a lot better. She was kind and strong, stronger than she would show, and kinder than she would brag on. She had shown him something that he wouldn't soon forget, and that was a level of compassion that he had never seen before in any creature, and certainly in any creature that was human.

His crimson eyes moved to her sleeping face and he reached up hand to brush a strand of hair from her cheek, never once touching her skin. She was almost like his sister, yet she was human. She had been transgressed upon far too much for his liking and yet she remained compassionate, even to the point of saving his life. His question of "why" didn't need to be asked anymore. He had his answer as plain as day.

She protected him because she felt she had to, because her duty took so many from her, she didn't want someone else to be hurt because of it. She protected him because it was the least she could do, because of his orders to stay near her. She knew she was dangerous to be around, but because he had put himself near her, it was in her nature to protect him…even if he would have protested that he was strong enough to take care of himself. She did it, because she saw him differently than most saw him. She was not scared of him, and she wasn't scared to die to save him.

He had earned her respect by doing nothing, and she had earned his respect, by doing everything.

With that final thought in his mind, he moved away from her to a tree nearby, and let his thoughts rest a moment. He had learned much about her today, without her permission, but that didn't bother him nearly as much as the events he had seen in her mind. Shaking his head lightly, he turned his eyes to her. He'd watch over while she slept. After all, it was the least he could do.

Kagome was aware of him the entire time, even though she was asleep. She let him search her mind as he would, and didn't hide anything from him. For some reason, she felt this was the only way he would understand her at all. She knew that he was a quiet demon, and very reserved. She had heard as much from his companions and had seen as much when he was around the others briefly when she was in the Reikai. She also could feel that he no longer hated her as she had thought. He had never really hated her, he was just confused and unsure of her intentions. She hoped this temporary truce would last.

She hoped he would keep her secrets safe from the others.

She hoped things would get a little better now.

She had a lot of things to hope for.

A/N: Wow. Long chapter. Hope you all enjoy it. :)

As always, Please Read and Review. ^_^

Kudos, Loves!

Sayuri-chan

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	9. Shelter from her Mistakes

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from my fanfiction writing.

A/N: Here's another chapter. Hope you all enjoy. On a side note I never realized how dark Kagome's emotions have been throughout. Just when she finds something to cling to, I rip it away from her. Well, damn. Didn't expect it to go that way. Eh, I promise she'll find her happiness in time.

Searching for Shelter  
Chapter 9  
Shelter from Her Mistakes

It had been three weeks since Hiei had seen Kagome's memories-three short weeks to stew over what he had seen. Who knew the little miko had been through so much, and had sacrificed everything for something that was smaller than marshmallow; certainly not the hiyoukai and certainly not the team of detectives that had been assigned to protect her.

Kagome had spent her time between training, sleeping, and occasionally, eating something, though the team noticed that she didn't eat much. Genkai had noticed her non-stop training, as the young miko pushed herself to exhaustion before she was forced into sleep by her body. Not even Yusuke put forth the dedication that she had seen the girl do, and that was saying something for the boy who loved the challenge of a fight more than anything else.

Back in the Western Palace, growls and shouts were normal between the Taiyoukai Lord and his half-brother, but as of late they had been even more volatile and dangerous. Inuyasha had been confined to his room, and Sesshoumaru had even enlisted in Shippou's help to keep the hanyou contained. They would not allow him to seek out Kagome. She had earned some peace and tranquility after all that had happened.

Back at the temple, Kagome was once more focused on her training with her newly expansive power. Ever since she had come in contact with it, the temple had been more peaceful than normal, seeing as how her power's kept the grounds purified and safe. Even the demons who normally resided in the forests around Genkai's temple were quieter than usual as her power kept everything calm.

She hadn't associated much with the Tantei and they had rarely seen her at all, though that wasn't just her fault, but theirs as well. Life had kept all of them busy over the past few weeks, and normally, they didn't go to Genkai's except to do their own training. Kagome had talked little to the elder energy manipulator, and even less to the koorime that lived on the premises. Long after Genkai and Yukina had gone to sleep, she could still be found in one of the many training rooms, pushing her power to its limits as she finally showed emotion that she had bottled up and would keep bottled up. Now was not the time to think about lost love or past pain. She had a new mission, and that was to protect her new teammates. They weren't considered friends in her eyes, because if she did, that put them in a personal position with her, a position that she was avoiding with her entire being. If they became personal, they became more of a liability.

No matter how close they had become in the small amount of time before her resurrection, she would not make them her liabilities. She would protect them like she couldn't protect her friends in the past. She would not be a sacrifice again. She would become stronger so she could protect them, and not have to worry about losing her life to safe them. She would keep the jewel safe, and she would do what she had to do to keep herself, and her teammates, alive.

She hoped that soon, she wouldn't have to have them around. Someday, she wished to be able to protect herself. No liabilities. No more death on her conscience. She wanted strength, and power enough to perform the duty that had been thrust upon her. She would not be so easily tricked as Kikyou had been in the past, and she would not get close enough to anyone else that she would die to protect them. The past was just that, the past, and she didn't want to repeat her mistakes.

She couldn't.

Too bad the fates didn't agree with her emotionally charged logic.

Shippou glanced around the shrine grounds that Koenma had directed him and Sesshoumaru to and noticed Kagome's very pure energy floating over the property. It had been centuries since he had felt such a blast of power, and the last time he had, Kagome had died. With speed he didn't know he possessed, he sniffed out her scent and raced for where she was, knowing instinctively that Sesshoumaru was close behind.

Kagome was just coming out of a light trance as she heard the wooden sliding door to the training room she was in burst open. The loud sound made her jump as she quickly stood, ready to defend herself if needed. It was only a moment before she relaxed, realizing who it was who had decided to join her.

"Momma! You did all of this?" Shippou asked first, breaking the silence between them. Kagome nodded with a soft blush on her cheeks. "Yeah…I've been working hard." She didn't like to be recognized for her growing abilities, but those words coming from Shippou made her feel better than she had since this ordeal began. Her psyche was eased at the praise coming from her adopted son. She felt that her hard work was paying off, and that maybe someday, her internal wishes would come true. She'd be able to protect the Shikon alone, and not have anyone who had to protect her.

Sesshoumaru could easily see the shift in change in the girl before him. He didn't know her as well as he would have liked to, but that was alright. He was still learning. It made him feel like there were still things he had to live for, and one of those things was to try and figure out all the little mysteries of the petite human before him. She looked more than haggard, but in this state, it also allowed him to see what she wasn't saying. Her posture was one of defiance, even though she was more than familiar with himself and Shippou. Her eyes were dark, and glazed over, as if she hadn't sleep well for a long time, and through that tired look, there was also a look of desperation and determination. He was an expert at reading his opponent, and right now, Kagome was his opponent. There were many things still emotionally wrong with the woman before him, but he had a feeling, that the one thing she really needed to heal was something that she was denying herself.

"This Sesshoumaru is impressed." The stoic taiyoukai voiced. Nothing more was needed to be said, as his words had the desired effect. Kagome's cheeks flushed a deep red and her mouth opened in silent shock. She impressed Sesshoumaru? Her? A human?

He nearly smirked at her reaction but he refrained. Now was not the time to tease her. He remained silent as Shippou raced forward and enveloped her in a hug, one that he noticed was returned. "Hey there…how have you guys been doing?" Kagome finally found her voice, and asked, as she held her adopted son closer to her form.

"We're doing alright, Momma. The western lands are safe, and our treaties made after we defeated Naraku are still strong." He informed her, knowing that he wouldn't be reprimanded for it. Personal matters of the western lands were okay to discuss with her. If he would have said this to anyone else however, he'd be getting his fair share of punishments from his father, and lectures for a few years on proper conversation etiquette.

"Treaties? With who?" Kagome asked curiously, her interest piqued. She had known that Sesshoumaru was powerful, and that he had treaties with other lands, but she had no idea what happened after Naraku was defeated.

"Kouga, for one, and Lord Koenma. Mukuro, from the northern lands, and some others that I can't remember right now." He replied, ticking them off on his fingers as he mentioned each one.

"Kouga is still alive…" she whispered to herself, as a gentle smile came to her lips. "…that's good to hear. I was a little worried about his pack after I took his jewel shards from him."

"You needn't have worried about the wolf cub. He was strong in his own right, and since then he has only become stronger, and thankfully more intelligent and less brash. He is a fine leader." Sesshoumaru spoke up, earning an incredulous look from Kagome.

_'He's praising Kouga? I never thought I would see the day…I guess him and Inuyasha really are alike as night and day…'_ she thought to herself before she nodded and asked, "…what happened between him and Ayame?"

"They mated, and Momma! You should have seen the celebration! It was so much fun, and there was lots of food and paper lanterns, and Ayame was wearing this jade green kimono…she was really pretty, though not as pretty as you, of course…" Shippou exclaimed, as he rushed on in his explanation. He truly was like a child once more around his adoptive mother, though Kagome didn't mind it. She longed to see him as he once was, full of spunk and energy, and more like the child she knew in the Feudal Era. However, though the words he spoke were supposed to cheer her up, they only succeeded in placing another arrow in her heart.

_'So he got his happy ending too…that figures. He was never one to lie down and die…what did I expect? That he'd grow old alone? That if he couldn't have me he wouldn't mate anyone...that's it Kagome, forget about it. He couldn't wait centuries for you to change your mind about Inuyasha, and you know you wouldn't want him to. Great. I'm talking to myself now. What's with that look Sesshoumaru is giving me…?'_ Kagome's internal dialogue to herself was interrupted as she caught the look that Sesshoumaru had on his face, one that had her confused, and saddened as well. It looked to her as if he pitied her, and if it was one thing that Kagome hated most, it was being pitied.

Sesshoumaru had noticed the moment that Shippou started talking about Kouga's mating ceremony that Kagome stiffened, and a dark cloud of sadness raced across her face. He knew that she harbored no feelings of love towards the ookami except for friendship, but he also knew that she never imagined that things would go so badly between herself and Inuyasha. He knew her love was real, but he also knew that it was never returned, and in her unrequited feelings, she had gained many, many scars upon her heart. To put it bluntly, she was lonely, and she was afraid of hurting someone else, or someone else getting hurt because of her.

"Momma?" Shippou questioned, as he tried to get her attention again.

"Hm? Oh, sorry, I wasn't listening. You'll have to tell me again when I'm not so tired, alright, sweetheart?" she smiled to him, as she let her fingers brush through his hair. It was shorter now, and not as bushy as it had been when he was a child.

"Okay!" if he had another reason to visit her, then it was fine with him that she was spacing out.

"This, Sesshoumaru, believes you're in need of a break, Kagome. Shall we retire to lunch?" Sesshoumaru spoke up, earning her attention again. He needed to talk to her, and by the kamis, if he didn't get her to talk, he'd force her to tell him what she was thinking, and explain just what she planned to accomplish by killing herself off slowly.

"Oh…um, alright. Follow me, then. Yukina should have made something, but if not, I'll make us something to eat." She replied, slightly unnerved by the look on the Taiyoukai's face.

They each went into the kitchen of the main house and found that lunch had been prepared and consisted of sandwiches and chips. Glancing to each of her companions, Kagome went ahead and wrapped some up in baggies to take outside. It was a nice day and she had a feeling that when Sesshoumaru finally started to talk about what he came here for, she wouldn't want anyone else to see them or hear what he had to say to her.

Each of the three ate in silence, though Sesshoumaru was acutely aware of another presence that was nearby, though he seemed like he wasn't going to interfere.

Hiei had come back to the temple grounds to check up on his sister after a quick mission in the Makai, only to find that Kagome was entertaining visitors; that of the Taiyoukai and kitsune kit. Curiosity got the better of him and he situated himself close-by in one of the forest trees above them and waited. He wasn't sure what, if anything would happen, but any sort of information that he could learn from either Kagome or Sesshoumaru would be worth the wait.

Kagome ate about half of her sandwich, before she pulled a napkin close to wrap the rest of it up. She'd remind herself later to finish it, but for right now, she just wasn't that hungry and she didn't feel like eating anything more. The action didn't go unnoticed by the youkai lord watching her, or the hiyoukai who was hiding in a tree near them.

"What do you think you're doing, Kagome?" Sesshoumaru asked, as his eyes drifted from the half eaten sandwich to the girl who had just set it aside.

"What do you mean?" she replied, confusion coming to her features. What was he talking about?

"You haven't eaten hardly a thing and I can tell from your scent that you have been working extremely hard already this morning. You should be eating more." He said, his tone telling her that he was worried about her.

"I'll finish it later. I just haven't been hungry lately." That wasn't a complete lie, she just had been working so hard that she didn't give herself time to eat and properly nourish herself. The half truth didn't seem to be satisfying the Taiyoukai lord one little bit as he shook his head and asked in a softer tone, "What do you think you're doing, Kagome? Your body is telling me a different story."

Kagome's eyes widened in shock before she blushed and looked away from the golden eyes of Sesshoumaru to the grass around them. She was kind of glad that Shippou was surveying the lands and wasn't at their side right now. She couldn't imagine trying to explain herself to her adopted son. She wasn't sure which emotion to settle for first, embarrassment, outrage, or shame, but before she could pick one, she was drawn out of her whirling thoughts by a gentle hand on her chin, one that was forcefully turning her head towards it's owner.

Sesshoumaru had had enough of her beating around the bush and not being forthright with him. He had more right than anyone else to know what she was thinking, and by the kamis, he was going to get some answers. He was protecting her from Inuyasha, but it seemed that he needed to protect her from herself first. "Talk to me, Kagome. And do not even think of lying to me. I will know if you are." He said, his tone leaving no room for arguments. Hiei was surprised beyond belief when the Taiyoukai showed something akin to worry when he looked at the priestess, and he had to wonder just what she had done to have the Lord so shaken up, and so persistent about her well-being. Even he had been aware of her dwindling personal healthcare, but it was hardly any of his business what she did. Until she was truly hurt or she collapsed, he wouldn't let it bother him. Apparently, the situation was more serious than he had realized.

"…Sesshoumaru…" she voiced softly, before she looked down once more. Shame seemed to win out as she played with the hem of her skirt, and let out a soft sigh. "…I'm…having to be protected again…I almost killed someone the first day I came here…and…I just…hate this! All of this!" she finally outburst, as she sat back away from the stoic Lord. He didn't interrupt her, and only gave her a look that silently asked her to continue. Perhaps she just needed to rant to someone who understood.

"I died in the past…I couldn't do anything to be useful to anyone except feel those stupid jewel shards, and here…here…" at that, she put her hands over her face and let the tears fall. "I can't even protect myself…I have to be watched again…complete strangers are being forced to protect me…I almost killed one of them because I didn't have the power to control my stupid miko ki!" she shouted, as she looked up, finally allowing Sesshoumaru to see her face.

He wasn't surprised to see that her face was littered with pain and a mix of different emotions that he couldn't even begin to decipher. She was worried once more about her companions, and it seemed that she were forcing herself to be alone, and do everything alone, instead of banking on the others who had been put at her side to protect her. He almost sighed at the obviousness of the situation, but he refrained. Right now, she just needed someone who understood what she was saying, and for a demon who didn't understand a lot of things the little miko said and did, this was something he did understand. Letting his golden eyes lock with her sapphire ones, he just opened up his arms to her, and waited. He knew it wouldn't take but a moment, and it wasn't, before she launched herself into his arms and began crying into his haori. He let his arms relax around her shaking form and he held her close while she did what she did best to deal with her emotions, and that was to cry. Was she really so alone, that no one understood what she was dealing with? Were the people around her really so ignorant that they couldn't see when she was in pain? He was seriously considering having a long talk with Koenma about the situation if that were the case. His eyes drifted for a moment to the hiyoukai who was hiding in a nearby tree, and he could have sworn that he saw red lining the hybrid's eyes. Pushing that thought away for now, he took a breath and tried to think of the best course of action from here-on out. If Kagome continued down the path she was walking, he was sure that she would work herself right into her grave, and that wouldn't do for one such as her.

Kagome never saw this coming. One minute she was having a picnic lunch with Sesshoumaru, and the next, she was in his arms and crying harder than she had in a long, long time. She didn't let it affect her though, as she normally would have. Sesshoumaru was a rarity in the fact that she knew she was weak, so showing it in front of him was alright. Anyone else would only see her smiles. Sesshoumaru had become something akin to a father figure in her life, and she could only thank the kami's for bringing him into her life and for them to come to more than an understanding as she died the first time. She was sure that Shippou helped thaw out his heart where she was concerned, and she knew that Rin had helped in that instance as well. For now though, she just let her tears fall and let all this frustration and pent up anger at herself work it's way out of her through her tears. After a few minutes, her tears stilled and trickled off, and for that, the Taiyoukai was glad.

Kagome pulled back from the impromptu embrace she had been offered and reached up her hands to wipe at her eyes as the last vestiges of her tears made their way down her cheeks. She looked thoroughly a mess now as tear tracks glistened in the partial sunlight, only adding to her tired and run-down look.

"The first thing I want you to do, Kagome, is take a long, hot shower." Sesshoumaru began, as he broke the silence between them. She only nodded her consent, and the Taiyoukai nodded in approval before he continued. "You will eat a proper meal, and then go to sleep. Your body is exhausted so it will do what it normally does, and you should sleep for a good, long time, before you awake. When you do, if it is still dark out, you will go back to sleep. If it is light, you have a choice, to take a break and relax, or sleep some more. If I hear you have done anything to stray from these instructions, This Sesshoumaru will not be pleased. Do you hear me, Kagome?" he asked, his tone leaving no room for arguments.

She only nodded once more, and at that, Sesshoumaru reached forward and lifted her head to see into her eyes once more. He thought he saw defeat in them, but he wasn't sure, so he made sure he had her attention before he said, "You have come far, Kagome, in your training. You will be more than capable of taking care of yourself now. If you wish to become stronger in other areas, I suggest you talk with the ones who are to be your companions now. From what I have heard, the small dark demon knows much about the way of the katana. The taller mazoku demon knows much about street fighting and brawling, which might not help you much, but perhaps he could help you with your agility. The kitsune knows much of plants and plant manipulation and of course, of healing. Any of these three would most likely be more than happy to help you learn more. Do not force yourself to bank on your power alone. You have never done that and you shouldn't do that now. Even in the past you had Inuyasha's power, the taijya's slayer skills, the monk's cursed hand, the fire neko's strength, and Shippou's tricks to help you fight. Do not push them away, for it will only put them in danger. Keep them close. It is what you do best, Kagome." He said, and the longer he talked to her, the more her heart lightened. He was right. She didn't have to force herself to be away from them. Even though they were forced to be with her, they were like her companions of the past. She needed to work with them, and not against them. She had nearly forgotten what she was doing. If she got hurt or worked herself to death, she would just be another burden upon the ones who were around her to protect her. She needed to learn to stand on her own two feet and be a part of the team, and try not to stand alone all the time.

Hiei was surprised at the effect the Taiyoukai's words had on the small miko before him, but it wasn't an unwelcome change. She seemed brighter and stronger than she had before, and for that, he had to mentally nod in praise at the Lord's efforts. Perhaps she just needed a new perspective on the situation. He didn't like the Kagome who was nearly dead in the ground from working herself to death, but perhaps this Kagome would be different. If she could learn to balance out her strength, and settle her emotional problems, she might not be such a bad addition to their little team…maybe.

Kagome moved to stand and she held out a hand to Sesshoumaru, before she smiled just a little. "Thanks for coming out to see me. I feel a lot better after talking to you." She said, that darkness that had settled over her body easing a bit. He noticed the change, and he was a bit relieved that she had listened to reason and that she was even now making an effort to change her previous behaviors. He wasn't sure what he would have been able to do had she not realized the error of her ways. He took her hand and stood up, before he glanced back to the tree holding the hiyoukai, and he nearly smirked. It looked as if someone were at least interested in his miko friend, and perhaps that interest wasn't just curiosity, but something more. Shaking that thought away, he watched as Kagome walked towards the main house and he called Shippou to his side. He would stay until she was put to bed, then he would make the long trek back home. He had to make sure that Inuyasha was still contained in his room, and that things were still going the way they should be. He briefly wondered where her other new companions were at, and he frowned. If Koenma was sending them off on petty missions while they were supposed to be around and protecting Kagome, he would have the young Prince's head.

If they knew anything about her personality, they should have been scrambling to have time to spend with her, not off gallivanting doing other things other than what they were supposed to be doing. No wonder Kagome felt so isolated and alone right now! It was plain to see that she was turning into herself for comfort and letting her overactive imagination run away with her. He knew that she over-thought things far too much and that was what often got her into trouble, mostly with herself. He had known that she wasn't 100% after they revived her in the first place, but to come here after only a month's time and see her in this state had his inner youkai growling with disapproval. She was far stronger than this, and he was going to guide her in the right direction. He had to thank the kamis that she had an agreeable personality and she didn't object to his orders. Perhaps she knew herself, deep in her heart that she had to change what she was doing, or risk losing it all. For whatever reason, Sesshoumaru could only find it in himself to be glad for the way this meeting turned out. Even from outside the house, he could hear the water running and he felt a little pride grow in his heart.

Now, if only he could get the rest of the team around her to stop being so distant, and finally show interest in the case they were on, then all would start to be right with the world. He was a little confused at the way things had become, seeing as how he had had two of her new team at his front door, and curious about her past, and yet, upon coming to the temple she was training at, neither of those teammates were present, and only one of the four who were supposed to watch over his little miko were even around.

Shaking his head of these thoughts, he moved to sit on the front porch of the main house, and let his mind relax a bit. He could still feel the hiyoukai near him and he seemed curious about what had occurred. Shifting his head in the direction that Hiei was, he wondered if the other demon would come out of hiding if he asked him to. Extending his senses, he poked a little at Hiei with his aura, and found that the hiyoukai was curious about what he wanted. It seemed that the hybrid demon before him was curious about a lot of things. He almost reminded him a child for a moment but there was no way that he'd say that aloud.

In a few moments, he saw a black blur move to his side and stop against one of the large, square pillars that held up the roof of the porch, and Sesshoumaru hid back a smirk. He was more than interesting, this demon before him.

"This Sesshoumaru, sees that you have taken a small interest in Kagome. Whether that interest is professional or not, this Sesshoumaru has yet to determine." He broke the silence, as he shifted his eyes lightly to examine the hybrid up close. He had heard the story from Koenma of what happened to Kagome while she was being held in the Spirit Realm, and how she had saved the demons life before him. He wasn't surprised at the story so much, but he was curious. He must have made some sort of impression on her for her to make such a decision, even in the heat of the moment. From what he knew of this particular demon before him, he wasn't a social creature. He probably hadn't said fifteen words to Kagome in the entire time that he knew her, and yet, she had come to such a decision. He had to wonder what she had seen that escaped everyone else's sight. Kagome had the power to see the innermost feelings and personalities of even the most reserved demons, himself included, so it came to reason that she must have seen something within this smaller demon before him that had her wanting him to stay alive, that had her wanting to keep him around.

As he looked to the demon, he couldn't help but think of the timeline of all of this. She had barely met him and yet, his well-being meant something to her. He almost smiled at that thought. It had been nearly the same with Inuyasha. When she had told him the story of how they first met, he couldn't have ever comprehended how much their fates would be intertwined, but instead of fighting against that, she embraced it, even if she was constantly hurting because of it. The hiyoukai beside him was looking at him with something akin to shock and distrust at his statement. Was it really so difficult for him to accept that she was starting to grow on him? Apparently so, but instead of pushing at the small demon, he just looked away into the distance.

Inside, Hiei was growling. He knew of Sesshoumaru, and knew of his power. If he hadn't, he was sure he would have tried to attack him right now. He let the comment slide, however true it may have been. However, he wasn't going to provide the demon beside him with more information about himself. He was sure enough that he already had plenty of reports and information on him, and he hated that about the Reikai, and those who were in power. The Taiyoukai before him could get any information he wanted on anyone, whether by spies, or by his own hand, and that irritated him. He was a secretive demon by nature. Knowing that someone he wasn't familiar with knew things about him was unnerving. It was almost as if he were calling the kettle black, however, considering how he had delved into Kagome's mind and knew everything there was to know about her. He was pulled from his internal seething when Sesshoumaru spoke again.

"Inuyasha is alive, and he knows that Kagome is back in the world of the living. This, Sesshoumaru, would appreciate you watching over her from now on. You seem like the only one who is taking this mission seriously, and if something happens to her…" he left his musing empty. He wasn't threatening the hiyoukai, quite the opposite. He was putting his trust in the demon beside him to help keep one of the creatures that he held dear to himself, safe.

Hiei looked up with surprise at the regal demon before him. Why was he given such information? He was sure it would do better in the hands of the rest of the team, seeing as how he oftentimes wasn't around, but apparently, he had done something right in the eyes of the Taiyoukai, and had earned a little of his trust. He knew this mission was particularly important, seeing as how Kagome was the protector of the Shikon no Tama, and that she was the only person who could keep it pure, but at the mention of Inuyasha, he had to wonder if keeping her alive to protect the Shikon was his only mission. At the heart of Kagome's story, was Inuyasha. Had the inu-hanyou done something to warrant the Taiyoukai's worry? He frowned lightly, unsure of what was going on now. Inuyasha was supposed to be Kagome's first love, and someone she should be able to trust, however, it sounded like Sesshoumaru wanted to keep him away from her. The question was…why?

Hiei quickly thought back to all he had seen in Kagome's mind, and he frowned once more. Their relationship was decidedly one-sided, however, that didn't stop him from noticing that even in the end, she showed compassion and caring for him. Was the inu-hanyou going to try and win his way back into her good graces? Was that why Sesshoumaru was on edge? He wasn't sure, but that thought had his beast howling in rage. He had known that his dragon had taken a liking to the little miko, but to have this strong feeling of anger well up in him at the mere thought of Inuyasha coming close to her, had him wary. Sesshoumaru didn't miss the look of confusion and unease that came to the hiyoukai's eyes, and he internally smiled. Oh yes, this was going to be entertaining to watch. He just hoped that Kagome could learn to open her heart once more to someone who was decidedly more worthy than his half-brother had been. He was aware that the rest of the team was a least, slightly interested in her back-story. He wasn't sure thought where there interest would lead. Before another word could be said, Kagome opened the front door, finished with her shower.

She was surprised to find Sesshoumaru and Hiei standing so close to one another on the front porch, but she didn't mention anything on that as she moved forward and looked down at Sesshoumaru who was sitting. He nodded his approval at her improved scent and her overall improved demeanor. Hiei was slightly shocked at the transformation that had taken place in the few minutes of time that had expired between her at the Taiyoukai's side and her going into the house. Her scent was light and fragrant, and no longer diminished with the scent of sweat, tears, and dirt. The sakura smell wrapped around him in almost a gentle manner and he took a moment to inhale the sweet fragrance before he allowed himself to look up to her face and take in her expression. She seemed calmer now, and her eyes were softer. She no longer looked hurried, depressed, and on-edge. He was slightly jealous at the change that had occurred, though he instinctively knew that he would not have been able to invoke this change within her. His eyes shifted to Sesshoumaru and he watched the exchange with barely concealed interest.

"This Sesshoumaru, does not want to see you in that state you were previously in, Kagome. Remember you are always cared for, and that you are not alone. There are many around who wish for your well-being and are willing to do much to see you happy." He said, his tone soft as if he were talking to a child. Briefly, Rin came to mind. Kagome blushed lightly but she nodded, before she took a seat beside him and replied, "I won't forget again…it was just…hard. All I could remember was the past…all the mistakes I made…all the things I did wrong…I don't want to make any more mistakes, Sesshoumaru." Her voice was soft, that sadness and desperation returning for a moment.

"You are human, Kagome. You are bound to make mistakes, it is in your nature. However, This Sesshoumaru knows that you have learned from the past ones. You will try your hardest not to repeat them. You will do well not to forget that in mistakes comes redemption. No one blames you for what happened back then. The gods are sometimes very cruel, and if you can learn to differentiate between the things you can control, and the things you cannot, I believe you will find that your conscience will be all the better for it." He said, his words not only touching Kagome, but Hiei as well. Who knew that words of wisdom that were meant for the small miko would also apply to the demon near them? Hiei wasn't sure what to make of the kindly spoken words that Sesshoumaru had said, but to see the brightening of Kagome's aura made him mentally thank the Taiyoukai before him for saying them. He knew that he had no way with words, and he wasn't especially expressive, however, he knew that his actions made up for that. If someone angered him, they could bet that they would see it expressed in his actions. If he was uneasy or upset, it could be seen in his stance and in his eyes. He assumed that he and the girl before him were as alike as night and day, however, at Sesshoumaru's encouraging words, his assumption started to crumble. They both felt uneasy about the past, they lived much of their lives in the past, and their consciences were heavy with sorrows and weights of the past that weren't so easily tossed away. He had learned to deal with the past in his own way, however, she was only beginning to learn to deal with mistakes that had been made. Sesshoumaru was correct in what he said. A lot of what happened to her was beyond her control, and unintentionally when he had said that, Hiei could only remember that a lot of what happened in his life wasn't his fault either. He did what he had to survive.

He felt his heart clench a moment as he quickly looked away from the girl before him. She knew nothing about him or his past. Could she learn to accept him, even with all of his flaws and mistakes? The question had his mind reeling, but he only had one small little voice in the back of his head to reply to his mental thoughts. _'She has already accepted you…'_

That one, universal truth, had his internal strength crumbling before it. She seemed unaware of what was taking place in the hiyoukai by her side, but Sesshoumaru was not. He could feel the confliction and growing aura of the demon beside Kagome, and he could only attempt to understand what was going through his mind. Had something he said elicited this reaction within the hiyoukai? He wasn't sure, but right now, he didn't focus on that, as he shifted his attention back to Kagome, who only nodded at the Taiyoukai's words. "I'll try, Sesshoumaru. I'll try my best and keep training so I can avoid being so weak. If I can learn to control my power then…I can learn to properly protect others…instead of being protected all the time." She said, earning a small look from Hiei and Sesshoumaru both.

"Your only duty is to protect the Shikon." Hiei said, his tone a bit hard as he tried to figure out what in the world this woman before him was thinking. She shouldn't be worried about anyone else right now, and yet she was.

"No…it's not. Everyone I come into contact with is in danger because I have this jewel, and I can't let anyone else take care of it. I have to protect it, and protect those that I love so that nothing happens to them. No matter what happens to me, I can't let anyone else hurt because of the jewel. Too many people in the past had to suffer because I broke it in the first place. Sesshoumaru said that in mistakes comes redemption…well…this is my way of earning forgiveness. I don't want to just hear people say they forgive me…I want to prove that I've earned the right to their forgiveness." Kagome replied, as she turned her eyes to the hiyoukai. Her eyes were firm in determination, and beneath that, he saw hope, and a little bit of sorrow. She knew of her mistakes of the past, and yet, she was trying to redeem herself for them. Even if they weren't her fault to begin with.

In that moment, Hiei saw what her mother had only briefly enlightened them to. Her daughter had the heart of an angel, and her compassion wasn't just limited to those she knew, but complete strangers as well. People that had been hurt because of the Shikon Jewel she had to protect, were the first people on her list to prove herself to. Her loved ones, and even complete strangers that were around her…to protect her…became her own personal group of liabilities. He understood what she had been trying to do now, and it strengthened his already growing impression of her. She had tried to become strong as quickly as possible so she could do all she had to do, alone, with no help from anyone else who could be hurt. Again, he thought of the past, and his days growing up. He had done the same thing, working as hard as he could and pushing himself as hard as he was able so he could become stronger to protect himself, and protect the one that meant the most to him, Yukina. He had done far more than anyone had ever expected of him, but he didn't do it for the attention or the reputation. All of it had been done in the name of his one and only living relative. His hard work had paid off, and Yukina was safe and cared for, even if she didn't know that her twin was alive.

Pushing those growing thoughts away, he became acutely aware that Kagome was waiting for a response. What did he think of what she said? Did he think she was stupid, or naïve? Did he think that her way of thinking would only get her into trouble, like most of her thoughts did? For some reason, to her, his opinion mattered greatly to her. He knew all there was to know about her, he had seen everything for himself as he had entered her mind, so, she wanted to know where she stood with him. Did he hate her? That question was one of her biggest ones right now, though she had discovered that maybe, just maybe, he didn't exactly hate her, but he had made it clear that he didn't really care for her either. Right now however, she was just hanging on his every word, in an attempt to better understand him and how he thought. Her mind shifted gears slightly, as something dawned on her. Taking in a soft breath as she broke the silence, she looked into his crimson eyes before she said something that thoroughly floored the hiyoukai.

"I'm sorry for almost getting you killed. I wasn't strong enough to control my power, and because of it, you…you were nearly purified. I'm sorry for putting you in danger, Hiei." She said, her voice soft as he picked up the regret and sadness within it. He hadn't expected an apology for what had happened. He had figured that it was just going to be forgotten. They had been sparring, and accidents were bound to happen. Sure, he didn't expect that her power would go wonky and nearly take him with it, but it didn't, and the incident passed. To hear her apology opened his eyes to the fact that she didn't just so easily forget it. The incident bothered her. The fact that he was almost hurt, bothered her. Even though not a hair on his head was harmed, and he was perfectly fine, she still felt the need to apologize for the incident.

Sesshoumaru wasn't as shocked as Hiei was, but he was confused as to what Kagome was talking about. He'd have to ask about it later, but it seemed like her words had thoroughly stunned the hiyoukai. Apparently it was a big deal between the two of them because of what non-verbal signals they were emitting from each of them. Kagome was on edge now, as if waiting for the fallout to her words, and Hiei, well, he looked as if someone had just jumped out and shouted "Surprise!" to him. A few seconds passed before Hiei looked to have gotten ahold of himself, and he looked away before his very soft, and deep voice could be heard saying, "Your apology is noted…and accepted."

Those words seemed to be like Kagome's saving grace, as her entire being became relaxed and she smiled, though it was soft, and nodded, more to herself than to him. "Thank you…Hiei." She replied, her heart feeling much lighter than it had been in awhile. Who knew that one apology and acceptance could help her frazzled conscience so much? Sesshoumaru was intrigued as to the interaction that had just taken place before him, but he would think and ponder on it later. Right now, he wanted Kagome to fulfill his other orders and go to get the sleep he could tell she desperately needed. He wanted to smile at the two before him but he refrained. It was just too damn entertaining to watch, and he moved to stand. "This Sesshoumaru shall be taking his leave. Kagome, do not forget what else this Sesshoumaru has ordered you to do today. Do not disappoint me." He said, before he glanced over to the fields that Shippou was occupying himself in. With one swift whistle, he came running and in moments, he was at the front porch with the rest of them, and looking relieved when he saw the newly washed Kagome.

"Kit, we take our leave now." He said, before Kagome was pulled into a hug by her adopted son.

"See you later, Momma! We'll come back!" he said enthusiastically. She only smiled before she nodded and hugged him back before saying, "I'll look forward to it. Have a safe trip."

With that, the two disappeared into the air on Sesshoumaru's infamous cloud, and left Hiei and Kagome alone on the front porch. Silence prevailed for a good minute or two before she turned her head to look at him, and for a second, she just smiled. He turned his head and caught that lingering smile on her lips and his heart skipped a beat. That smile was soft, gentle, and at the moment, it was just for him. He couldn't even begin to try and figure out what she was trying to tell him with it, but at the moment, he didn't really want to try.

Kagome couldn't have anticipated feeling so good right now, and she had no one to share her growing happiness with, so when she turned her head and looked to Hiei…she couldn't help but smile at him. He had helped her in his own way, even if he had no idea. Sesshoumaru's words, and his acceptance of her apology had her conscience lifting of all of its previous dark and depressing thoughts, and right now, she felt better than she had in a long while. Without a word, she turned around and headed into the house with a softly spoken, "Goodnight."

He couldn't help his eyes following her as she disappeared inside the house, and he couldn't help but trying to push down the urge to follow her and make sure she made it there alright. He wanted to growl at his growing sentiments, but right now, he couldn't seem to do that. Pushing those thoughts aside, he just shook his head and murmured under his breath, "Goodnight…Kagome."

She barely caught those two spoken words, and with her heart light, she let her feet guide her to her room where she went to sleep, and let herself finally get some peaceful, well-earned, rest.

/chapter

A/N: Sorry for this taking a bit longer than I intended to get put up. I've been writing lots and lots of pages lately, but they haven't been for my main stories. . I pulled up this half finished chapter, and I just started writing. Inspiration struck, and here you have it! I hope to have her happier throughout these next chapters, and I felt like making Sesshoumaru more helpful to Kagome, instead of just making him some side character. I hope you enjoyed it! (Sorry if he seems OOC, I didn't mean for that to happen!) Well, please Read and Review!

A/N #2: Thanks to all of you who favorited, reviewed, and put this story on your watch lists. :) Each little email notification in my email box makes me happy.

Kudos, Loves!

animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan


	10. Shelter from Betrayal

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. Each series, and respective characters of those series belong to their owners. I make no profit from the making of this fanfiction.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 10

Shelter from Betrayal

"Your team is neglecting their duties." Sesshoumaru boomed rather darkly as even his prized momo-no-ka stood on end. His pristine hair seemed to glow with his anger as he looked at Koenma from the other side of the Reikai ruler's desk.

Koenma's office crackled with the unleashed energy that normally remained hidden within the powerful Taiyoukai, but today, it was anything but calm or collected. Just the day before he had seen Kagome at her lowest, without her being dead and now he was taking matters into his own hands. Koenma was trying not to shake in his booties but was having a difficult time of it. He never expected the Taiyoukai to take such an interest in the miko's welfare, but here he was, and now, the leader of the Spirit Realm had to address the issues that had been so forcefully brought to his attention. He hadn't been aware of his team's movements as of late because he had very little in the way of missions for them. Hiei had taken care of a few minor problems in the Makai because he was the fastest and it had little to do with negotiation and much to do with assassination—the hiyoukai's forte. He figured that until a problem arose, or Kagome was attacked or compromised, that he would let things go as they would. Besides, Genkai was teaching her about her powers and from what limited reports he had gotten about the situation, she was progressing quickly in her studies—therefore, he didn't have to worry about it until there was a problem. Apparently, his team not being there was a problem, not to him, but to Sesshoumaru, and whatever bothered Sesshoumaru, bothered him.

"I've had Hiei busy on missions for the good of the Ningenkai. The rest of the team has lives they wish to maintain. I can't force them to be with Kagome 24-7." He pleaded in his softest negotiation voice. The kind of voice you used for jumpers and people with guns at other people's heads. Ironic, that he thought of a gun at his head—Sesshoumaru certainly put the fear of God into him. "She is safe at Genkai's. There is little that can get to her there, and the team is close enough that if something happens, they can be on the scene nearly immediately."

"Nearly immediately is not good enough. Do you even realize what it is she carries? Do you fully comprehend what it is the jewel can do if put into the wrong hands?" Sesshoumaru shouted, his control snapping much as it had when he had been confronted by Inuyasha and his obvious contempt for the young miko. "I spent years looking over the shoulder of my lands because mere fragments of the jewel wreaked havoc and mayhem across Japan—demons who were weak, humans that had no special talents but to draw became weapons of destruction overnight. Do you want demons like Naraku running around in the human realm? Or another Toguro, a human with the power of God's and the moral compass of the devil creating his own realm—while he carves it out in the flesh and blood of humans and demons alike?" He had mentioned Toguro because he knew of the being, and the problems caused in both the Ningenkai and Makai by his existence. The Dark Tournament and the implications that a once human could become so terrifyingly powerful disturbed him. Humans were the weaker race, so seeing humans, any humans, with such strength were beings to fear. If there was one, there could be more. His own wariness was not unfounded. He knew of the fear the Reikai had of that particular being as well. "The jewel can create such beings. "He continued. "The jewel can grant the impossible. It is dangerous—it can give power, but the price for that power is heavy. Not everyone, however," his voice calmed just a fraction as it lowered to a darker, chilling tone, "is afraid to pay that price."

Koenma's eyes widened a few notches. If he hadn't been nearly trembling before with the Taiyoukai's mere presence in his office, he was now. It was nearly unnoticeable except for the fine tremors that scooted along his uniform. He had been alive for a long time, but not all of that time had he been leader of the Spirit Realm. His father had run things, and perhaps, that was the reason that things were so chaotic centuries ago. He wasn't a being that feared or avoided conflicts, or death. He didn't think much of human or demon life. If the humans wanted to war with one another, so be it. If the demons wanted to slay humans on principle, more power to them. It was a time of demon-slayers and miko's. He didn't interfere because other Gods were handling it just fine, what with the creations of monks, mikos, and slayers. Let humans handle the human problems that existed in the Ningenkai—it was not his problem. If someone got too out of hand, then he would deal with it—until then, he was content to watch and be amused at the weakness and stupidity of creation. It was just after he had handed the reins of power over to Koenma that the barrier was created, and something akin to civilized peace began in the Ningenkai. Besides a couple of world wars, and squabbles between humans themselves, humanity had grown both technologically and socially. Perhaps it was more the influence of a ruler who valued peace more than he valued bloodshed and destruction. The fact that he was unaware of what price was paid because of the Shikon no Tama was just another tidbit of information that proved there was a time before Koenma, and time after—both were vastly different for many reasons, reasons he hadn't explored or thought about since his induction to position of leader of the Spirit Realm.

"What would you like me to do, Lord Sesshoumaru?" he questioned, his voice rather steady considering the inner turmoil he was dealing with. He could call his team up and order them surveillance on Kagome permanently, but there were still other matters that cropped up, and his team was the better part of valor when it came to dealing with problems that could potentially affect the Ningenkai. His father's SDF was not a team he wanted to deal with on a permanent basis, and if his team was indisposed of, then he would have to resort to dealing with the resources that were available to him—he really, really didn't want to deal with the SDF, in any capacity. "I need my detectives. They listen to me, and they have the expertise and judgment to handle most situations that could affect the human realm. They are strong, and they work together with few problems. My father's forces aren't nearly so easy to deal with. I'm afraid that if I began to use them, my father would get curious and then all hell would break loose. He was in charge at the time Naraku existed. He lets me keep my team together only on patience and results. If suddenly they weren't useful, or at least, not doing cases, and killing rogue demons, then he might disband them, permanently. I couldn't do that. I can't go back to the way things were when my father was in charge of the realms. It would be…" he paused, trying to think of the proper term. Finally he just settled for the truth, "…disastrous."

Sesshoumaru fought back the urge to growl. This was politics at its finest and he couldn't exactly argue with the demi-god in front of him. He was right. There was terrible information available about the infamous SDF and the leash that was nearly non-existent within the group. King Enma expected results and didn't care what carnage or chaos had to be done to get the results he desired. It was a fine line to walk. Even he, leader of the West of the Makai, would rather have the team of detectives that Koenma chose over the almost renegade SDF under Enma's thumb. "I know." He stated quietly, his temper reigned in at least for the moment. He wanted a solution but he wasn't sure how to come about with one without the three realms going to wrack and ruin. Koenma took the silence for the blessing that it was and didn't interrupt it. He realized the position the both of them were put in, and he knew that perhaps he hadn't taken this case as seriously as he should have. Oh, he helped bring the girl back to life, and he helped her get a tutor that could teach her about her powers, but he didn't fully realize what it was she guarded, and the power struggle that still hung in the balance because of that object. So far it didn't seem like there was trouble brewing, but he knew it would only take one demon, one A or S class demon to find out that the jewel was not just a myth for all hell to break loose. His team, powerful in their own right, could take on such a threat, but he knew that if a true A or S class demon took on his team, it would not be taking them on alone. The terror of the Chapter Black followers were proof of that. "I wish to speak with them…your team. I realize that they cannot be watching over Kagome all of the time, but maybe a schedule of some sort could be arranged. I can also bring in some of my own trusted guards to help watch over her. Is this acceptable?" he offered, his golden eyes lifting to meet with Koenma's.

The toddler ruler looked stunned at the suggestion before he nodded and offered, "That's fine. I'll call in some of the other demons that have been helpful to the team in the past. I'm sure they wouldn't mind helping out if they were informed of what was going on." He didn't like the idea of telling others what Kagome held, or what the situation was, but he couldn't think of anything else to do to help, and he felt obligated to over-do himself in this area. His guilty conscience was kicking in because he had ignored the depth of this case in favor of the simple and easy road. He didn't appreciate the danger that Kagome brought with her, nor did he appreciate the dangers that lurked just outside of the Ningenkai. He had been working for centuries as the leader of the Reikai, but he still didn't fully appreciate the dangers that demons had to humans, any humans, by just existing. Perhaps if he had experienced life as Kagome had in the past, he would understand more fully, but since he hadn't, and his father hadn't explained it to him, then he was young in that aspect of his life.

Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow before he nodded once to accept the offer. He didn't realize there were others they could call on to help protect Kagome, but now that he knew that there were, he wasn't above pulling together strangers to help keep her safe. She was one of the most fragile, and most important beings that he knew, and he would do everything in his power to help protect her. After all, she had done nothing less than that when it was his lands, and his life, on the line in the past. Even though their initial meeting was rocky, she put her life on the line to protect his sibling, and though it was coincidental, she had also defeated, nay, destroyed Naraku. That was not an easy thing to do in and of itself. In a turn of phrase, he owed her, and yet, he felt more than just a small obligation towards her. She had given him emotion and strength in that emotion. What was once forbidden for him to experience, he now had freely. Granted, he didn't express himself as if he were a human, but he could show compassion to his kit, his kingdom, just as easily as he could show anger and displeasure. Before her he could do neither. Rin had a lot to do with the change of his mental self, but Shippou helped, and he had Kagome to thank for that.

"That is acceptable." He finally said before he leaned back and got ready to leave to head back to the human realm. "If you would contact your team, I will meet them at the temple." He said, and then, just as rapidly as he entered Koenma's office, he had turned and left, leaving a bewildered, and scared, ruler in his wake. Koenma hadn't understood, not completely. Even now, he was unaware of the fears and thoughts privy to only the Taiyoukai, but he didn't doubt that the leader of the West had experienced the dangers for himself. What had he lost to Naraku? What had he seen to put him on full alert where Kagome was concerned? He had no idea, and though curiosity ate at him, he wasn't sure he wanted to know what things were bad enough to scare the "Killing Perfection". With that final thought he picked up the small communicator on his desk and began to contact his team one at a time.

It was late morning, almost lunch time at the temple and Kagome was rejuvenated as she trained with Genkai. The elderly woman was surprised at what just a good night's sleep and a full stomach could do to the concentration of her newest pupil. She was able to sit still, and pull her powers around her almost like a blanket, before she spread them out like a rainstorm that gently covered everything a drop at a time. Perhaps the analogies were a by-product of talking with Kagome. Her own attempts at describing her power and its abilities often went over the young woman's head, but Kagome could usually counter and come up with a suitable mental image that helped her manipulate the power at the tips of her fingers.

"You're doing well this morning, Kagome." She said, earning a bashful look from the raven haired miko before she replied, "Thanks." The compliment was uncommon and she savored it for the rarity it was.

"Pull your power back, and we'll go in for lunch." She instructed and with a warm smile Kagome nodded and began the process of drawing back all of that explosive power that seemed to saturate even the air around her. It was a difficult process. Sometimes it felt like her small, human body couldn't hold such power and when she thought that, somehow, it felt like a hole of some sort opened up within her and suddenly, it felt like all that power fit—like a hand into a glove. With a deep breath, she opened her eyes and grinned, happy that at least this small thing went right.

Genkai stood and made her way towards the door and Kagome quickly followed, finding herself absolutely famished even though she ate a hearty breakfast this morning. Perhaps it was her body yelling at her that she hadn't been eating enough but for whatever reason, her stomach was growling and she was looking forward to whatever lunch Yukina had made for them. She briefly wondered if Hiei would be around for the midday meal but she didn't hold her breath. He was like a storm; unpredictable at even the best of times. Sometimes he brought only rain, but sometimes it was destructive winds and tornados. He was an enigma to her. She knew little about him, but whenever she exited the training building she couldn't help but look for him. His presence stood out like a beacon and her eyes followed the invisible thread that directed her to him and his distinct power. A small smile lit up her features as she found him sitting high in one of the trees neighboring the training room and for a moment, she didn't move from her spot. The hiyoukai didn't miss her presence either as he looked back down at her completing the current of invisible energy that flowed between them. A lesser being would have called it sexual tension but it wasn't even close to that. So many other emotions existed between them but that sort of tension didn't exist, at least, not yet. Their own personalities were so explosive that it wasn't an impossibility but for now it was just a mutual understanding between the two of them. He would watch over her, and protect her, and she would show him kindness and compassion. Kagome refrained from waving at him as she finally broke that connection and stepped down from the room and walked across the cool grass towards the main house where lunch would be waiting for whomever happened to be around to partake in it. She couldn't help the growing smile when she felt his presence move in behind her. It looked like today he would be one of the partakers.

Both walked in behind Genkai and they let the door shut behind them as each headed into the kitchen area. Yukina was there, looking over a stew that was bubbling on the stove. There were all kinds of vegetables and even a large stack of sandwiches on a plate on the counter. Kagome frowned in confusion before she glanced up at the koorime. Hiei had made himself comfortable against a wall next to the opening to the kitchen, belying his own curiosity at the sheer amount of food being made. "Are we having a party or something, Yukina? It looks like you're cooking enough for an army." She joked, as she smiled and took a seat on one of the barstools that sat around the prep table.

"Lord Koenma said that everyone is coming over to meet with Lord Sesshoumaru." She answered, with confusion on her own features. She assumed that Kagome of all people would have already known about the meeting but the young miko's ashen face proved that she did not know about it and she was not looking forward to whatever would be said. If Sesshoumaru ordered a meeting between himself and the detectives then he was either incredibly pissed about something, or he had news that they needed to know. Kagome didn't know which would be better.

She turned around and met Hiei's crimson eyes as she asked softly, "Did you know about this?" The hiyoukai was silent a moment as he took in her pale features. She had looked fine just a few moments before and that worried him that just the news that Sesshoumaru wanted to meet with them had her so shaken. With a nod, he watched her face fall before her hands came together in earnest worry and uncertainty. He had gotten good at learning what her mannerisms and movements meant, but what he was seeing in her wasn't exactly comforting.

"Do you know what he wants to speak with us about?" Hiei broke the silence as he looked at the growingly distraught miko.

She shook her head as she bit her lower lip, before saying in an uncertain voice, "He did say something about me learning from you guys. Maybe he wants to set up some sort of training for me?" she suggested, earning a glance from the hiyoukai. He'd listened in on her conversation with the Taiyoukai the day before and it made sense, but her uneasiness wasn't easing the tension in the air. She was afraid, worried about what was coming. He didn't understand and he didn't like her so stressed. It turned her normally calm and pleasing scent into something he didn't recognize.

"If that is the reason then why you so upset, Kagome?" Yukina asked softly as she came around the table to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. Hiei looked from Kagome to his sister as she spoke and it was a valid question, one that he might not have asked himself even if the thought came to him.

A momentary pride swelled in his chest before he looked back to Kagome as she answered, "I don't want him to force them to come to my side, or teach me, or anything. If they don't want to be here of their own will I don't want to force them here. Inuyasha…" her voice caught as she said his name but before it could stop her she barreled on with her thought. "…Inuyasha left us so often to go to Kikyou. He felt an obligation to her, so much so that even we, me and my friends, took a backseat to her. If I'm not friend enough to be a priority, then, I don't want to force them to be here." Her expression broke as she hung her head and let the dark bangs of her hair cover her face, hiding the uncertainty and the fear behind those thick locks as she finally said, "I don't want to be an obligation."

Yukina's own expression softened as she looked with saddened eyes to Hiei, willing him to do something to help. Hiei didn't know himself how to reassure her that she was enough as she was to warrant their attention but it was only with his sister's unspoken prompting that he managed to figure out something to say. "Kurama's been here. He comes every night to check on you and the grounds." He hated bringing the kitsune's name into the conversation but it was true, after all. Of all the detectives, he trusted the fox over anyone else and that was mostly because of their past together. He knew that the human part of Kurama cared for Kagome as a friend. He didn't know how Youko felt about her but as far as he needed to know that as long as the ancient spirit was neutral then that was all he could ask.

That one statement had her looking up and he breathed a mental sigh of relief when knowledge dawned on her and she seemed to shake away at least a little of her uneasiness. "Y…you're right." Her expression seemed to take on a little shame as she stepped forward from Yukina's touch and reached out towards him. Pure shock froze him in place as she touched his crossed arms with her soft hand. "You've been here, too. I'm sorry I said that." He at least thought something of her or he wouldn't have been there. Nothing, not even Koenma's orders would have kept him there if he didn't feel at least a small want to help keep her safe. She was not just an obligation to him, and that meant something to her messed up psyche. "Thank you, for being here."

Hiei stood there in slight shock though his exterior belied his interior thoughts as he nodded lightly, not saying anything else for fear of breaking that faith she seemed to have in him. Her hand was gentle, warm, and was unlike anything else he'd ever experienced. No one touched him willingly, not even Yukina on most occasions. He was touched to be healed, and when he was being attacked, and little else. She touched him because he was there for her, even if he himself didn't realize what his existence there meant; to him, or to her. She recognized that he could have abandoned her, and yet he stayed near her even if he had to leave for periods of time, he came back to the shrine to look after her.

At that nod, she squeezed his arm lightly before she pulled her hand back and turned back to look at Yukina. "Is there anything I can do to help?" she offered, pulling her uncertainty around her much like her power. She could handle whatever life threw at her; she just had to be calm and she had to be strong.

Both siblings stayed quiet a moment before the koorime finally gave a small smile and said, "Don't worry about it. You and Hiei go rest in the living room and I'll finish up in here. They should be here soon." And with that said, she turned back to go to the stew cooking and Kagome let out a shaky breath only to hear the doorbell ring. She turned with uneasy eyes to look back at Hiei before she seemed to gather on some invisible strength and she moved through the doorway towards the front door to open it. Hiei followed her silently and made himself comfortable in the living room; far enough away to create the illusion that he wasn't stalking her and yet close enough to hear who it was at the door. Kagome turned the handle and opened it to find Kurama on the other side. He was early, though that wasn't exactly surprising seeing who it was. She smiled warmly as her eyes lifted to meet with the emerald green of the kitsune. "Hi." She said softly as her heart seemed to lighten even further at the sight of him. The familiar fox aura touched her own and reminded her of her own kit and of days long gone in the past. Though he was gorgeous, it was the familiar air that he carried around him that made her more comfortable.

"Good afternoon, Kagome." he replied, as he saw her smile and relaxed demeanor. It had been three torturous weeks since he'd really gotten to talk to her. His own missions and life kept him busy during the days and nights was the only time he had to come and check in on the shrine and her. He had noticed her deteriorating healthcare but he wasn't sure what to say to bring her out of her depression and Youko wasn't exactly helpful in that department. He didn't think much of the human girl yet, and he didn't know if anything would really spark his interest with her. So few beings got the kitsune's attention, but the girl before him had at least one thing going for her in the eyes of the fox: she didn't fear him.

There was a quiet silence between them before Kurama's eyes shot up in confusion and uncertainty when she reached out her hand to place on his arm. Her thin, small hand wrapped around his lower arm, and though there was no strength there, he wasn't sure how to react to her movement. "Kagome?" he questioned before he saw her shake her head. Quietly he placed his hand over hers on his arm as he looked into her almost tormented sapphire eyes.

"I'm sorry…I'm sorry. I haven't been able to thank you for checking up on me, for coming here when you didn't have to." Her hand tightened lightly on his arm before her eyes gentled and she seemed almost embarrassed about the way she'd gone about thanking him.

"You're my friend. Of course I would come check up on you." He replied easily, though his hand tightened lightly on her own, as he marveled at the soft feel of her skin underneath his own. The thought was fleeting but even Youko perked up at her apology, and then at her thanks. He wasn't sure what had brought this on, but he didn't question it. The easing of her expression and her softened eyes was enough to reassure himself that there was nothing more wrong than her own inner guilt at him being there. He didn't like her feeling guilty about him being there to look after her, but he was sure that it would pass if she could just see him as a friend and not someone that was obligated to be there. He wondered what had happened for her to react this way towards just seeing him. It was a question that was answered by Hiei in his own way when he said mentally, _"Stay for the show fox, and you'll find out."_

Confusion spread through his mind before he was interrupted by Kagome's voice again.

"I know, but…I'm still really…" her voice faltered before she shook her head and she pulled on his arm a little to draw him inside. "…nevermind. Come on inside. Yukina's making lunch for all of us." She said with a warmer smile on her lips as she closed the door behind him.

He almost wanted to ask her what she was going to say but he refrained as he gave her a small smile back and said, "I can smell her famous stew. Where is Hiei?" he questioned, knowing that if anyone knew the hiyoukai's whereabouts, she would. After all, she lived on the shrine grounds now.

"He's in the living room. The food's not quiet done so Yukina told us to wait while she finished it and we're waiting for everyone else to get here…" she trailed off as she moved towards the living room and as she entered she glanced to her side to see Hiei. He was glad to see her a little more relaxed than she had been but he didn't know what to think about it. Did the kitsune do that or was she just walking through her own inner maze of feelings and calming herself down? For some reason, thinking that the kitsune was able to calm her down irritated him though he would never speak the thoughts aloud.

"Hiei." Kurama greeted as he walked into the living room behind Kagome. As she took a seat on the couch, so did he and he managed to stuff down a moment of uncomfortable silence that moved around them. Kagome was projecting her feelings far more than he'd ever seen her before and that bothered him—not the act itself, but the fact that she was uneasy. "Do either of you know why we're meeting with Sesshoumaru?" he questioned, as he glanced between the two of them. Even Hiei looked uneasy or irritated for some reason and that just made the tension in the room raise to new levels. If he knew why, maybe he could ease some of the uneasiness, if not, well then, there had better be a damn good reason why the nearly unruffled Hiei was upset. Kagome was human, and thus more susceptible to emotions, Hiei was not. He'd never known the hiyoukai to be on edge without good reason, thus, his own growing unease.

Again, the two others in the room locked eyes before Kagome turned her head towards the kitsune and she smiled weakly. "I think it might be because Sesshoumaru wants me to learn from you guys, something besides energy manipulation. Genkai's a fighter, but I think he wants me to learn from what he deems 'experts' in the field." She said, with her uneasy smile turning into a wry one.

Kurama lifted an eye in curiosity as he said, "I didn't know you were interested in our individual talents."

Kagome's smile turned again, into something bashful as she said, "I wasn't really, but Sesshoumaru is right. If I can learn more than just about my own energy, if I can learn to fight on my own, that would be better than being protected all the time. If for some reason I'm out alone, I need to be able to learn how to fight, or at least protect myself until help can come. Besides, I have all this power, but all I've been doing is learning how to tap into it, and make it move how I want it to. I'm sure it can purify, and I can charge arrows with it, and I can heal, but I don't know what else it can do. If I learn to fight with a sword, or learn how to nurture plants like Kaede used to do, I might learn what else I can do with my energies."

She asked him with her eyes if he understood what she was saying and he said with a growing smile and a growing admiration for her, "I see. Well, I'm at your disposal, Kagome. If you want to learn about plants and manipulating energy to care for them, and perhaps grow them yourself, then I believe I can help you." He was grinning when he finished that. He was the best, after all, as Youko so pointedly said in his mind. Hiei didn't like the idea of her spending one-on-one time with the kitsune but there was little he could say about it, not that he would in the first place. He also had to agree with Sesshoumaru.

"Thanks." She replied before she heard the door slam open and she jumped at the sound but when she saw that Hiei and Kurama didn't move she assumed it was someone they knew.

At Yusuke's shout of, "Grandma!" she swallowed lightly and leaned back further into the couch. It was at the unfamiliar sound of a girl's voice saying, "This is ridiculous, you shouldn't have to protect her all the time, and we shouldn't even be here at all. Let Hiei or Kurama take care of this. Even Kuwabara could handle it. He's strong enough to handle watching over some girl. Besides, he likes Yukina, it would give them some more time together." That drew her forward, but only so she could hide behind Kurama. She felt stupid huddling behind his larger figure but she didn't know the girl's voice and she didn't want to fight about having Yusuke here if he had someone who didn't want him there to begin with.

"Just shut up, Keiko! I'll handle this. Besides, it was Sesshoumaru who wanted to meet here. It could mean that something's happened in the Makai." Yusuke bit back harshly. Kagome nibbled on her lower lip as she looked quickly to Hiei who was looking nearly livid in his corner of the room. His eyes were rimming with red and she didn't know who he was mad at so she couldn't stop the thrill of fear and the increasing uncertainty that raced through her.

"You promised me! You promised me that you wouldn't take on any other dangerous missions, Yusuke!" the girl shouted, as they finally came to the opening that led into the living room only for Yusuke to turn around and shout back at the girl that Kagome had yet to see, "It's my job, Keiko! If something is coming after humans in the Ningenkai it's up to me and the guys to stop them! You know this, so quit harping on me!"

Involuntarily, Kagome reached out and gripped Kurama's sleeve in an effort to calm her racing heart. She never was good with confrontation unless it was her own and even then, she hated when people were fighting. The fact that these two seemed to be fighting because of her just made it worse. Kurama turned his head towards her when he felt her grip on his shirt and almost involuntarily he reached with his free hand and placed it over her own in a calming gesture. He couldn't believe that Yusuke and Keiko would be fighting like this in front of her, about her! She didn't ask for the jewel or this danger, and yet she was getting punished for it at every turn, from herself, and from others. He knew about the cruelty of the world, but seeing it firsthand reminded him of how unfair the world really was.

"Is everything alright?" the new voice broke through the tenseness like a knife and instantly the two seemed to be on their best behavior. Hiei managed to calm himself when he heard his sister's voice and he stared harshly at Yusuke. If the boy kept up his arguing and upset Yukina, there would be hell to pay.

"Yeah, everything's fine Yukina. We're just wondering where everyone is. Where's Grandma?" Yusuke questioned, almost glad to see the koorime. Keiko wouldn't continue fighting in front of the kind ice apparition, he knew.

"Genkai is cleaning up, I think, and Hiei, Kurama, and Kagome are just in there." She said, pointing into the living room. "I'm finishing lunch up. We're just waiting for Kazuma and Lord Sesshoumaru." She informed him, and with a little embarrassment, Kurama watched him turn his head to the side to see that indeed, his team members and Kagome were waiting in the living room, which told him that they definitely heard the conversation that was taking place even as they entered the house.

Angrily, he ran his hand through his hair before he managed a smile for Yukina. "Thanks." He moved through the door, almost ignoring his girlfriend in favor of taking a seat and trying to figure out what was going on and why the Lord of the West would want to meet with the team. What was worse, Koenma told him how important this was and he didn't like it. It was either really bad, or really stupid. He almost preferred the stupid, because he knew when bad appeared, it could be really, really bad.

Yukina looked perplexed at the tension in the room and she looked to Hiei for reassurance before he nodded lightly. She looked to Keiko before she turned around and walked back into the kitchen, not liking the tense atmosphere. Keiko looked around the corner and Kagome finally got her first glimpse of the girl she'd only heard about. Her grip on Kurama's shirtsleeve tightened to the point where it was going to be permanently wrinkled unless she let go of it soon. The kitsune didn't seem to mind much though he was wary of Keiko and he let her know it as his expression darkened a fraction.

Kagome looked from the girl over to Yusuke and he looked back at her with anger in his face. What he had managed to hide from Yukina for a few moments came back in full force. "I'll just bet you have something to do with this. Why the hell do we have to meet with Sesshoumaru?" he questioned, his tone rising again. He didn't know how to have a normal voice when he was angry, and not knowing what the hell was going on was just a part of what was making him angry. Keiko's obvious displeasure at him lately had him wanting to take a long relaxing trip to the Makai. When the demon realm became more relaxing than the human realm there was definitely something wrong.

Kurama and Hiei both glared at the toushin before Hiei said, "She didn't know about this until a few minutes ago. None of us know what the Taiyoukai wants." His tone was quiet, but stiff and angry.

Yusuke lifted an eyebrow in confusion before he looked to Kurama as if to ask what was going on with the hiyoukai, but instead, Kurama said, "Don't look at me. I didn't arrange this and I don't think Kagome had anything to do with this sudden contact from Sesshoumaru, let alone Koenma."

The toushin looked to Keiko with a triumphant looking smirk before he said, "See. I told you it wasn't about her. Now can you leave me the hell alone?" he questioned, as he relaxed back into his seat as if a great weight had been pulled from his shoulders.

She had the grace to look embarrassed before she looked from Yusuke to Kagome. Her expression didn't stay embarrassed as it turned downright hostile. Kagome's grip tightened even further and Kurama was afraid for a moment that she might rip his shirtsleeve. She was terrified, but at the same time she was trying to act so brave. Hiei growled slowly into the air which got everyone's attention, and it even calmed a little of Kagome's fear.

Instead, she was worried as she looked to his eyes, as if just that one look could help her understand what was wrong. He turned his head away from the stares and Keiko took that moment to break the silence. "Shut up, Yusuke. I told you before that I wanted you to quit this stupid spirit detectives business but you keep going on missions and going into danger. Don't you care about me at all?" she questioned with her voice rising just as his had only moments ago. "She's not worth dying over!" she shouted, as she pointed quickly at Kagome, who leaned back and further into Kurama when the yelling started.

"You only get this pissy when it's a girl I'm going to save, or I'm protecting. If you don't trust me by now then I don't know what to do to prove it to you! If it was you in her position I would do the same, but just because it's a stranger you have to get your panties in a twist! Relax! Christ, it's a job! I'm not going to fuck her while you're not looking!" Yusuke shouted back harshly as he moved to stand, now toe-to-toe with his girlfriend, ignoring his teammates, and the growing blush on Kagome's cheeks.

Her embarrassment and devastation were two different, but equally powerful blows to her heart. She wasn't even a friend, she was just a job. A job to be handled like everything else. What did she expect, that he would befriend her, or at least treat her like she was a human? Right now he wasn't even doing that. He had degraded her to nothing more than a client, and the way he was talking, she was less than that. If that was the case then Sesshoumaru wouldn't get him to help train her. She wouldn't allow it. If he felt so strongly about her, that she was just a job, then she would make sure that he never came around her again. She didn't need obligations, she needed friends and companions. She knew that now, even if it was hard for her to grasp the concept again after so long without her friends in the past.

Keiko went to shout back something equally depreciating but Kagome's shout stopped her before she could utter a syllable. "Stop it!" Both looked to her, each with different degrees of rage on their faces before she continued with a cracking voice, "Stop it both of you." Her eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she looked between the two of them only to finally look at Yusuke. "If I'm such a pain, if this is wrecking your relationship, then just go. Forget talking to Sesshoumaru, forget me. Forget all of this. If I'm just a job, then I'm firing you. In fact, I don't know why I didn't think of it before. You're fired, Yusuke. You don't have to worry about me anymore, or how it will look in front of your girlfriend that you were ordered to look after me. I'll take care of myself." She said, not thinking about what would happen should she fail, or what would happen if she were killed. No, the only thing she was worried about was preserving his relationship, or lack thereof, and the problems she'd created between the two in front of her by just existing with the jewel. Her hand had come away from Kurama's sleeve as she moved to stand, her attention shifting between the two of them before she walked out of the living room in two quick strides that helped her disappear behind the wall. Hiei knew she was moving towards the front door and he glared quickly at Yusuke and Keiko, who were both shocked by what she said.

"Wait, Kagome…!" Yusuke recovered first as he moved to go around Keiko to follow her. "Damnit, you're not my boss! I didn't mean it like that! Fuck, would you wait a minute?" he said only to hear the door slam and silence fill the hallway where he was standing.

Kurama was the next to recover as he moved to stand. His anger seemed like something tangible in the tense air as he glared at Keiko. She had started it, and now he was going to say something that had been on his mind a long time. "If you haven't accepted Yusuke and what he enjoys, then I suggest you end things now because for you to ask him to quit being a detective means that you do not accept him and the part of him that enjoys fighting and the thrill of victory. You coming into this house like you have shows that not only do you not respect Yusuke, but you do not respect Genkai, or for that matter Yukina. You certainly don't respect Kagome, nor do you respect me or Hiei." She looked as if she wanted to say something back but he plowed on, ignoring her opened mouth as his tone turned darker, and angrier. "Furthermore! Kagome did not order him to stay, nor did she force him to come to her side even though things are dangerous and uncertain. She cared for him enough not to force him to be here, if he does not wish to be. The fact that you do, however, proves you couldn't care less if she lives or dies. Kagome has done nothing to you or to Yusuke to be treated like this. She is not just a job, she is his friend, and she would die before letting a hair on his head be harmed, and both of you are treating her like she's a dog! A creature to be placated! You let him protect Yukina, Shizuru, and Botan! Hell, you let him protect me, and Hiei, and Kuwabara! Why is Kagome a lesser friend than they are!" he didn't let her answer, nor did he expect one. He was livid and for once, Youko couldn't agree more. Kagome was supposed to be their friend and yet Yusuke was letting himself be ordered around by his jealous girlfriend when he should have been thinking about Kagome and the danger she was facing by herself. Sure, he and Hiei were there to help take up the slack, but the fact that he wasn't there at all said something; something saddening. He considered her a lesser friend than the rest of them and that was no way to treat anyone.

The silence lasted for a moment before Kurama directed his anger at Yusuke, who stood there almost defiantly. He didn't know what was going to be said, but he knew he wouldn't like it. "And you…you said you were her friend, that you would help keep her safe, but you've let your jealous girlfriend order you around! A partner is supposed to support you and help you through tough times, not cut you down at every turn and strip away your freedoms as she deems fit! Kagome is someone who nearly gave up her existence for one of our own." He looked at Hiei as he said it, before he looked back to Yusuke. "That's as good as a life debt, and though the human part of you doesn't understand that, I'm more than sure that your demon half understands perfectly well what that means." He took a step towards the toushin, who was no longer angry, but looking rather uneasy and for once, ashamed. "She is trying her damndest to get stronger so she doesn't need any of us around, so she can care for herself, but she's only human, only one woman against a world of demons who want the jewel. You haven't even thought about how hard it has to be on her, and then you offer her friendship only to rip it away at your girlfriend's insistence. She, even now, wouldn't turn her back on you even though you have more than turned your back on her with this latest display. If it was your life or hers, she would pick yours because she is your friend, and she understands the danger she's put you in just by being around her. But you don't care about that; all you care about is Keiko and her misguided jealousy." He was so angry he was seeing red, but Youko helped him calm down enough for him to shake his head in true disgust as he moved out into the hallway and towards the front door. A few moments later it closed behind him, none too silently.

Hiei was stunned that Kurama had been so perceptive of the situation and he was glad that he was not the one giving Keiko and Yusuke this little heart to heart. He would have just killed them both and gotten it over with, but while he would have enjoyed killing Keiko, he would have regretted hurting Yusuke. Whatever had happened here, there was a lot of history between them since he became a spirit detective and he would have hated to kill an ally. The fact that the boy looked regretful of his actions had Hiei's ire at him fading. He had never liked Keiko and this latest incident from her didn't win her any brownie points from him. She was the lesser female of their group. Shizuru and Yukina were far more important to him than she would ever be, though Keiko should have been in that group simply for the fact that Yusuke was her mate, and he was loyal to Yusuke. Somehow, he'd never agreed with that and his own personal feelings interfered with his internal hierarchy of who was important to him. Keiko was lowest on the list, followed by Botan, Shizuru, surprisingly Kagome, and finally his own sister Yukina. The realization that Kagome had become someone he deemed important to him was startling, but not entirely unwelcome. She had already proven her worth and that she would sacrifice everything for him, he could do no less for her.

His eyes met with Keiko's and it almost looked like she wanted to say something to him but one harsh glare in her direction had her rethinking anything she might want to say. He was the last one she wanted to tempt fate with, and the fact that she didn't seem to understand that proved that she didn't respect Yusuke or his friends. Yusuke stepped back into the room with a torn look in his eyes and Hiei glanced from her to him. His own expression toned down a few steps before he moved towards the hallway as well. He moved outside and found that Kurama and Kagome were sitting beneath one of his own favorite trees and he quickly found his comfortable spot upon that branch and listened to the silence taking place beneath him.

Kagome hadn't cried, though that took so much effort that she gave herself a zillion brownie points because she could, and right now, she needed the confidence of those zillion brownie points to keep from breaking down. She never expected to be betrayed as she just was; that's what it was to her, that's how it felt, was one huge betrayal. She expected it from Inuyasha. Once betrayed, it never surprised her to be betrayed again and again. She expected it from him, but not from Yusuke; not like that. She felt worthless, like she was nothing in his eyes, not even a friend. Keiko was more important and her thoughts on the matter. She couldn't understand how he could let Keiko boss him around, when the girl didn't even know what was going on, or what Kagome was going through. She needed a friend; she didn't need a boyfriend, or a fuck-buddy. She just needed a friend, and a protector. Why couldn't Keiko understand that? Silent tears crept their way down her cheeks before she realized it, and Kurama winced from beside her before he placed an arm gently around her back, as if to say, _'I'm here. You're not alone._'

Fortunately, or unfortunately, that's when Sesshoumaru showed up.

A/N: This chapter was almost not possible if I wouldn't have gotten a forceful visit from the muse. My chapters for this story were stolen along with my laptop a few weeks ago and I was deeply depressed over it, but my old laptop, and a very forceful muse with a swift kick up my ass made this all possible. I hope you enjoy it as much as I have re-writing it.

A/N #2: Thank you to everyone who added this story to their favorites lists, their watch lists, and who reviewed. You make it worthwhile to write, especially through the setbacks. I ::heart:: you all.

A/N #3: While the muses are being generous, they are not being very inspiring in the pairings universe. I still am fairly clueless on who to nudge towards Kagome, or anyone else for that matter. Suggestions are highly welcome at this point; all will be taken into consideration, even rare, or otherwise uncommon pairings. Just drop a review and let me know who your personal favorite is. :D Thanks for all the help and the encouragement, guys.

Kudos!~

Sayuri-chan aka animeinvasiongirl


	11. Shelter from Lies

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from the creation of this fanfiction story. The ideas within are mine, and mine alone.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 11

Shelter from Lies

Sesshoumaru smelt the salt on the air as he approached the lone tree that Kagome was sitting beneath. He was surprised to see Kurama there, but not Hiei. He knew that the hiyoukai felt something for Kagome and knew that he was taking the situation seriously. The fact was though; that Kagome was crying and that had him seeing red. Who had hurt her? Whoever it was was going to pay for each tear in blood. He approached the trio slowly, earning a small look from the kitsune and the hiyoukai. Both were aware of his presence as he approached them, and both knew that all hell would break loose at the slightest provocation. This girl was important to the Taiyoukai; more than any of them could ever comprehend.

Sesshoumaru managed to keep himself calm enough to kneel down in front of her, catching her attention as he did so. Kagome blinked when she saw a shadow cast itself over her form and she quickly looked up only to flush and look down again in shame. She lifted her hands to wipe at her eyes, forcing herself to stave off the torrent of silent tears. She didn't need to worry Sesshoumaru—he was worried enough about her. That one pain-filled glance was enough that the Taiyoukai couldn't help but growl darkly. It wasn't a loud sound, but it was enough to put chills on her arms.

"It's okay…it's alright. I'm fine." She felt compelled to speak, to try and ease his anger. Without thinking, her power wrapped around his towering figure. The calming influence was immediate and surprising to him as he closed his eyes a moment at the sensation. It was unlike anything he had felt before in his lifetime and he almost hated her in that moment for bringing him that calm. He wanted to be angry, and he wanted to hurt whoever had hurt her, but she didn't want that. She didn't want to see him fight or hurt anyone, and she didn't want him to be upset, especially over her.

She moved to place a hand on his cheek, just over the magenta stripes that adorned his pale skin. Almost like a child, she stroked his face, as if the touch alone could soothe away the powerful emotions that gripped him. She didn't want to see him get into her battles. He had enough to worry about and he had fought enough in the past. She wanted to protect him, even if he didn't need it. The Taiyoukai wasn't sure how to receive the gentle touch that she was bestowing on him but after a few moments he reached up one of his clawed hands and placed it over her own, stalling her movements. Kagome looked up to his eyes, which opened and she smiled softly, glad that she could see calm there. "That's better." She said, her tone gentle as she moved to stand. He was so tall that even at her height and with him kneeling she barely stood over him. She leaned down to capture his other hand within hers and slowly she pulled him up, not that he needed the help.

Kurama and Hiei were confused at the interaction between the two, but once they saw her calm the irate Taiyoukai it didn't seem to matter. They didn't know she could calm a person down with her power alone but it was an interesting bit of information to have. They were glad that she was there; because they were both sure that no one else could have managed such a feat in calming him. Now that Sesshoumaru was standing, he wrapped an arm around Kagome's shoulders and pulled her close to his form, obviously showing his protectiveness over her, and showing his dominance. He was the alpha male here, even if he wasn't her mate. Kagome flushed lightly before she tipped her head up to smile at him, boosting his ego with that small gesture. She trusted him with her very life and that meant a lot to the demon who didn't gain trust easily. Humans and demons alike feared him, and it was more by Machiavelli rulings that he kept a hold on his lands. He hadn't tried to get his people to love him, but their fear of him did the job adequately and he felt no reason to change his tactics now. Kagome had appreciated the power he had, and she had feared him, but she never ran from him. She always faced him head-on no matter how dangerous or scary it had been for her, and he appreciated that about her. With a tightening grip around her shoulder he looked between Kurama and Hiei, as if asking for the answers he sought. What, or who, had made Kagome cry?

Before either of them could speak, a familiar voice called out from behind them, earning a soft look of wonderment and hope from the miko. Kagome swallowed hard before she turned in Sesshoumaru's arm to look and see if that familiar voice really was who she thought. At the first sight of brown hair and sparkling blue eyes, Kagome pulled from the Taiyoukai to run and nearly tackle the owner of that voice. "Kouga!" she cried out happily, as she nearly offset his balance and took them both to the ground with her running hug.

"Kagome!" he said back with equal enthusiasm as he returned her embrace and held her tightly to his form. Five centuries hadn't changed him much, and while that was strange to Kagome she didn't question it as she hugged him tightly and breathed in the familiar wolf scent that surrounded him.

Hiei stifled a growl while Kurama looked with something akin to shock to the small scene before him. Youko was stunned as he tried to figure out why another powerful leader was so close with Kagome. It was unfathomable. First Sesshoumaru, who was the coldest, and most unfeeling ruler he'd ever known, had shown that he wasn't as he appeared; now there was Kouga, the most powerful wolf leader in the Makai embracing her almost as if they were long-lost lovers. Confusion overwhelmed him as he moved to stand, unable to look away. Not that he could, because the moment he stood he saw Kouga lean over and place a kiss on her forehead and he couldn't help but feel the hot stab of anger and jealousy that raced through him. Kurama thought a lot of Kagome, but it wasn't until this moment that Youko thought more of her, too, and he didn't like that any other male got that close to her. Whatever he was feeling seemed to pale in comparison to the white-hot flash of anger that Hiei felt at that second. His hand was on his katana before he knew it but as his fingers curled over the familiar blade, he saw Kagome step away from the wolf.

Hiei hopped down from his spot and glared openly at the two before Sesshoumaru finally spoke to gain their attention. "What has happened to Kagome?" he nearly snapped out, as he left the miko to reacquaint herself with Kouga.

Kurama and Hiei both looked to the Taiyoukai at the tone of his voice before Kurama answered. "Yusuke hurt her feelings by some things that he said. I don't think it was done intentionally but he has never been the brightest person when it comes to emotions. Especially female emotions."

Sesshoumaru lifted an eyebrow before deciding that he really didn't want to know. The fact that Kagome was smiling and happy now was enough. He'd figure out what was said later and deal with more important issues now. "I see." He replied lightly before he glanced back to Kagome and Kouga a moment. "Who is here right now? Lord Koenma said to expect other friends of yours at this meeting." He asked, earning a couple of confused looks from the two before Kurama again spoke up. Hiei left that part to him as he debated moving forward and intervening between his miko and the wolf. In fact, the idea had merit, so much so that he moved around the towering Taiyoukai to walk towards the two. Kurama gave a side glance to his friend before he looked back to Sesshoumaru and answered his questions.

Kagome had missed Kouga. It seemed like forever and a lifetime ago since she'd seen him, and all she'd known was that he'd mated Ayame and that things were going well for him and his people. Kouga was giving her updates about those she cared about with the wolf tribe, i.e. Hakkaku and Ginta, when she felt Hiei's aura shift and start to move towards them. With a growing smile, one that wasn't missed by Kouga, she turned to look at him and reached out her hand, as if gesturing him forward. "Kouga, this is Hiei." She said, as the hiyoukai came to stand possessively close to her. She didn't seem to mind as she continued, "Hiei, this is one of my oldest friends, Kouga."

Hiei had been surprised when she turned to look at him, but her smile, along with her gesturing for him to come closer, eased a little of his wariness. He didn't realize it before, but he was afraid. Afraid he would do something wrong and she would push him away or hate him. For some reason, that made a sharp, familiar pain arc through his heart. He had been hated and disowned since he was born, just because of what he was. He knew what it was like to be forbidden, what it was to be unloved. For the first time in his lifetime, he had met someone other than his team that cared for him. She cared for him, not because of what he could do, or because he was protecting her, though that was part of it, but because. Just because. A momentary uneasiness slipped through his eyes, one that wasn't missed by Kagome. Her expression softened, before she reached her arm back and placed it on his lower back. She slowly brought him forward, to stand closer to her, more beside her than behind her. She smiled reassuringly at him before looking between Kouga and Hiei, feeling happier than she had in awhile.

He tensed at her touch on his back before he relaxed and nodded lightly to the ookami king. Kouga saw the small interactions between Kagome and the hiyoukai and he lifted an eyebrow in curiosity. He had to fight not to smirk at how his friend had so obviously worked her charm on the reluctant demon beside her. It wasn't the first time that he'd seen her pull someone out of their shell, but he worried about who this demon was. If he was anything like Inuyasha he might just have to exert his authority as King and set the demon straight. Kagome had suffered far too much in the past because of Inuyasha and his inability to choose between her and a walking corpse.

"Nice to meet you, Hiei." Kouga finally said, breaking the silence as he gave a look to Kagome. "So, how's my woman doing?" he said with a small smirk, the term of endearment flowing easily even after so much time had passed between them.

"Kouga…I'm not your woman." She replied with a faked sigh before she smiled back to him. "And I'm doing fine. I've been learning about my power." She said with a grin, obviously pleased with her progress.

Hiei lifted an eyebrow when Kouga called Kagome 'his woman' but at Kagome's obvious dismissal he held back a smirk of his own. He knew that the King of the wolves was mated, but that didn't mean that all mated demons were honorable. "Your miko powers? What kind of things have you been learning?" Kouga questioned, his own smile growing at her obvious pride in herself. He hadn't seen her so proud of herself in a long time, and he had to mentally blame Inuyasha. The inu-hanyou had never treated her as she should have been treated and he knew personally that Inuyasha constantly degraded her and compared her to Kikyou. The fact that she was so pleased with herself now was reassuring.

Kagome's grin widened before she mentally looked for that power within her that sat just simmering beneath the surface of her skin. Slowly, she released her hold on that power, and let it wash out over her skin, through her very pores and had it wrap around Kouga, much like she had for Sesshoumaru just a few minutes before. His audible gasp wasn't lost on Hiei as he watched with awe at the power at her command. He knew that with one change in thought she could purify the wolf king without breaking a sweat. The fact that the king trusted her enough that he let her pour her power over him said something deep about their relationship, something that Hiei didn't want to examine too closely.

Sesshoumaru and Kurama turned when the felt that immense wash of power flare behind them. Youko was speechless at the sheer amount of power that flowed out of the small, human body of Kagome. He had felt her power before, when Hiei was at her mercy, but this was nothing like then. Then, it had been full of fear, and uncertainty, now, now it was warm, and comforting, and full of nothing but purity; gentle, soft, and yet powerful enough that it almost invoked feelings of protectiveness.

Kouga finally found his voice as he whistled softly. "Wow, Kagome. This is…amazing." He closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation a moment before he looked to her. "I dare mutt-face to say something about you now. That clay pot couldn't even attempt to match this amount of power." He said, a smirk growing on his features.

Abruptly, her power wavered before she took an uneasy breath to bring it all back into her body, sitting it back in that open space that held her power. Hiei stepped closer to her before he shot a small glare at the ookami. He knew that she still felt inferior to Kikyou, and just mentioning the other woman was more painful than helpful to Kagome's fragile psyche. "Yeah…right." She said, her tone belying her words. She didn't think she was more powerful than Kikyou. And it was more than just power when it came to the undead miko—it was everything Inuyasha wanted and could never truly have again. He expected Kagome to fill those shoes, but there was just too much difference between her and her previous self to ever attempt to be someone she wasn't. Kagome could only be herself, and her alone didn't seem to be enough to satisfy Inuyasha.

That moment of despairing truth made it so she didn't even realize when Kurama had stepped up behind her. He reached out a hand to touch her shoulder, which made her jump and turn to face him. She gave him a shaky smile that made his small frown only deepen. He had heard Kouga's comment, and he thought that it would make her feel better about her progress, not worse, but then again, he didn't know who Kikyou was, and was even more curious now about her past than ever before. "You've been doing really well, Kagome. I've never felt anything like that ever before." He said, trying to cheer her up as he squeezed her shoulder lightly.

Kagome looked to his emerald eyes before she looked to her side to catch Hiei's crimson ones. She knew that they were right. She'd been working hard, and learning so much. For once, she could be proud of her power and what she could do with it. With the last remnants of her upset floating away, she couldn't help but nod, and blink away unexpected tears. She was Kagome, not Kikyou, and she had all this power, and now, finally, she could control it. She wasn't useless anymore, even if she couldn't fight. What she failed to come to terms with, even after all these small and large revelations, was that she was never useless to begin with.

"Thank you…all of you." She finally said, as she looked at each of her friends in turn. Sesshoumaru, Kurama, Hiei, and Kouga—their praise and support was something she didn't know what she would have done without.

"So this be the lass Koenma was talkin' about." An unfamiliar voice broke in; bringing with it a gust of wind that blew everyone's hair around slightly. Kagome turned back to look over Kouga's shoulder, unsure of who the voice belonged to.

"Jin!" Kurama spoke up, as he felt the familiar energy of the wind manipulator. He moved around Kagome and Kouga to walk up towards the red-haired demon with a slight smile on his face. Kagome bit her lip lightly, curious about whom this new demon was. She was reassured when Kurama walked up to greet the almost imp-ish looking demon. "This is Kagome." He said, gesturing back to the young miko, who was moving around Kouga's still form to get a better look at Jin.

"Hello." She said with a small smile and a wave, before Jin moved to hover in front of her. She was startled slightly when she noticed that he wasn't standing, but instead, he was riding a wind current that kept him sitting cross-legged in the air.

He was silent for a second before he gave her a wide grin and said, "Koenma didn't say nothin' abou' you bein' so pretty." His hair moved closer on the wind as if it, too, was interested in the young miko. Kagome blinked widely before she blushed.

"I…well…I'm not really…" she stammered out as she glanced to Kurama and then to Hiei, as if asking for help with how to respond. Kurama just smiled softly, though it was sad, too, as he stepped up beside her and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Kagome doesn't think much of her looks, though we all know that she is one of the most beautiful women I've seen in a long time." He said, both defending her honor, adding on to the compliment that Jin had said, and putting in his own personal thoughts on the matter in the open. He glanced to Hiei, and noticed that he was conflicted about the entire thing.

Actually, Hiei was trying which emotion to settle for. He didn't like that Kurama was complimenting Kagome like that, or that he was so close to her, but he couldn't disagree with their comments and he knew that she needed the boosts of confidence, so he was torn between anger and acceptance. Finally, he settled for indifference. After all, getting too emotional over something so simple was unlike him and he found himself directing some of that anger: at himself. He didn't know where these sudden feelings were coming from and he didn't like that. He was in control at all times; being a volatile fire demon had its drawbacks, and one of those was the constant waging war within him. He had it doubly bad because of the koorime blood flowing within him, as well. He had to keep his cool, or things could get really bad, really quickly. Shaking his head of his wandering thoughts, he glanced back as Kagome's curiosity finally broke through her own embarrassment of the situation.

With her blush lightening, she leaned down and hesitantly held her hand towards the space between Jin and the ground. He peered down at her curiously with that same shameless grin on his face as he scooted some air towards her face. She 'eeped' lightly and pulled her hand back. Jin laughed loudly and leaned back on his current of air. "Tis real, lass. Wind is me life, me very soul." He informed her, as she tentatively reached out her hand again. Her eyes met his as she reached out and placed her hand in that space. Slowly, a smile spread on her face.

"It's so warm. It feels almost like…water, except its air." She waved her hand gently through the currents before she pulled it back and stood. "I've never felt anything like that before." She paused, as she looked over Jin and finally took in his facial features. He was still grinning at her, but it was softening at the edges. He didn't expect her to appreciate the power of the wind, but if he'd known her at all, and knew her past with a certain wind witch, he might not have been so surprised. She was suddenly fidgeting and he blinked with slight confusion at her. She was calm just a moment ago, and now her fingers were twitching as she seemed to forcibly hold them back.

"Tis the air. It reflects me!" he said with laugh, before he froze as Kagome reached her hand towards him. Leaning back from her, he gave her a puzzled look before the young miko flushed a few shades of red. Caught in the act.

"Sorry…but…" she looked to his eyes before her sapphire orbs flicked to his very elfish ears. "May I…can I touch your ears?" If someone would have dropped a pin, it would have echoed in the silent clearing before the wind manipulator laughed out loud and slapped his knee playfully. He'd never had anyone ask to touch his ears before, but the way she went about it was so adorable, like a small child. He was endeared by it, as he wiggled each of the pointed appendages lightly.

"Of course, lass. All you needed ta' do was ask." He said with a smirk as he leaned back towards her. She was such a strange human, but he found that he didn't mind her uniqueness. He knew she was a miko, and he expected hostility, fear, or even superiority, but not genuine curiousness and naivety.

Kagome smiled sheepishly before she reached forward and let her fingertips slip over the edge of his very elfin ears. The moment her fingers touched the soft flesh, that grin of Jin's slipped from his face completely. His eyes widened a fraction before his ears twitched, like a small beat of a butterfly's wing. The young miko giggled at the movement before her fingers traced the length and shape of the abnormal ears. Jin's heart was racing in his chest. He'd never had anyone touch his ears before, not like this. His enemies would often try and grab him by the ear to drag him around, something his mother used to do to reprimand him when he was a child, but Kagome's fingers were soft, and gentle. A rare flush crept up upon his cheeks as he looked into her fascinated eyes. She wasn't looking at him, she was enthralled with his adorable ears. She'd been fascinated with Inuyasha's puppy ears when she first met him, but she'd never seen elfin ears before like his before. They were soft, definitely fleshy, like human ears, and warm. They were the warmest thing she'd ever touched. She could feel the pulse of his blood coursing just under her fingertips. After a few moments, her eyes slipped from his ears to his widened, almost startled eyes. Smiling, she let the pads of her thumbs stroke the forefront of his ears, being sure to be very gentle. She knew that his ears wouldn't be like puppy ears. Jin leaned in at the foreign, but pleasing contact as she drew her fingers out to touch the tips of his ears. With a brighter smile, and another light flush upon her cheeks, she slowly withdrew her hands.

Kurama and Hiei both had to hide back growls at the obvious change in scent from their fellow friend. He'd enjoyed that touch of hers just a little too much. Kagome broke the silence, saying, "Thank you. I keep forgetting how warm demon's are. Everyone I've come in contact with has a warmer body temperature than I'm used to. And by the way." She paused, looking sheepish again, "Your ears are absolutely adorable."

Another rare flush crept up on the elfin demons face before he grinned brightly again, saying, "Thank ye. I'ma pretty fond of 'em meself." The small appendages wiggled and flicked back and forth, as if hooked up directly to the happiness that Jin himself was feeling. Kagome watched the small ears with fascination a few moments more before she was distracted by a couple of others cresting the staircase at the shine; one of the people she recognized as Kazuma, but the other two were demons she wasn't familiar with. She was reassured that the orange-haired boy was speaking with the other two, but she did take an involuntary step closer to Hiei and Kurama, just in case. The demons were well-aware of the silent motion and Kurama leaned over her shoulder near her ear to whisper quietly, "The larger man is Chu, and the young child is Rinku. They are friends and allies. You need not fear them." Kagome froze when he whispered into her ear, the sound was close, and it sent chills down her spine. Shaking away her momentary reaction to his warm and comforting voice, she tilted her head towards him and nodded.

Jin turned to greet his friends and teammates and Kagome again watched the flicking of the wind-demon's ears as he spoke. She was ripped from the distraction when a rather deep voice said, "So is this the lil' shiela?" Flushing at her inattention, she looked up to the tall demon's face and smiled before she held out her hand towards him.

"My name is Kagome." Chu looked at her hand before he smirked and took it up in his own, only to draw it up so he could place a gentle kiss on the back of it. A couple of growls filled the air and he smirked more, not fearing the danger that he was flirting with. Her face reddened and she lowered her eyes shyly, not expecting the attention or the gentle action.

His lips lifted from the back of her soft hand before he said, "It's nice to meet your beautiful acquaintance, Kagome." He was laying it on thickly, but even as he spoke he saw the burn on her cheeks and felt the fact that she didn't believe him. She was uneasy and sad at what he spoke, though both reactions bothered him.

"Your flattery is false…" Kagome began softly, her voice barely above a whisper, "…but thank you." He looked up to her downcast eyes before he straightened himself up though he didn't let go of her hand, something of which got everyone's attention. Hiei was seeing red again and he wasn't sure why he was reacting this way.

Kurama was about ready to let Youko loose and damn the consequences, but before either demon could react, Rinku came up and said, "Chu, you're falling on your face. She's not buying what you're selling." His face was full of mischievousness and it caught Kagome's attention as she turned to look at the smaller boy. Silence filled the area before Jin erupted into laughter. That infectious laughter soon got to everyone else as each demon joined in, all save for Hiei. Chu had the gall to look slightly embarrassed before he let her hand go and Kagome smiled warmer to him. He refrained from reinforcing what he'd said to her, seeing as how embarrassed she'd gotten when he said it. She wasn't like a normal woman, human or demon. Women were supposed to eat up compliments like that, but she didn't believe the words to be true. It wasn't just him saying them, it was her own perception of herself, and that nagged at the back of his mind uncomfortably. Shaking it away as he heard her laughter, he smiled back to her and gave a small playful glare to Rinku.

"And who might you be?" Kagome asked, as she turned her attention to the younger boy and the laughter died down.

"My name is Rinku." He said with a grin and he let one of his yo-yo's fall from his fingertips and walk along the ground, very obviously showing off to her. Kagome followed the movement of the strange-feeling toys and she knew that there was something off about them. If she angered him or crossed him she knew that he could seriously hurt her, even if he was only a child.

"Well, Rinku, it's nice to meet you." She said with a grin back at him before she turned to Kazuma. He looked to her with a mix of guilt and happiness as she walked towards him and paused just in front of him. She hadn't seen him in nearly a month and she hadn't heard anything from him either. The same was said of Yusuke and even Kurama, though the kitsune, she had learned, had been taking the night-watch, so to speak. She didn't want to learn if he was avoiding her or if someone was keeping him away on purpose, like Keiko was to Yusuke. However, she couldn't ignore the possibility that he might not want to be there.

The orange-haired man ran a hand through his hair before he said quickly, "Listen, Kagome…I'm sorry that I haven't been around. Sis has had me running crazy. She's started managing the store she's working at—she's needed my help and I just haven't had time to get out here. I hope you can forgive me."

Kagome's eyes looked slightly startled before Kurama stepped up and said, "I'm happy to hear she got a promotion." He smiled softly as if to say his story had merit. He knew what Shizuru was like, and Kuwabara really did love his elder sister.

The young miko's expression softened before she nodded and said warmly, "Of course. You don't have to apologize. I'm just glad that you're alright." And she was. If something bad had happened to him she knew for sure that she'd have blamed herself, especially if it was something demon-related.

The taller man looked relieved at that before he grinned and said, "It's good to see you Kagome. Now if you'll excuse me, I need to go find my lovely Yukina." He said with a dreamy expression on his face.

Kagome held back a giggle before she nodded and said, "She's in the kitchen finishing lunch." She watched as he walked off and she turned and looked towards Sesshoumaru with confusion in her eyes. He had called this meeting, but she didn't know what it was about, and now that Kazuma was here that completed the team of spirit detectives, and then some, with Jin, Rinku, and Chu there. Before Sesshoumaru could say another word, a cold chill raced up her spine and she spun, feeling the essence of another demon; one she wasn't familiar with. Kurama and Hiei both stepped closer to Kagome before a pale blue head of stiff hair came out of the forest on the other side of Sesshoumaru. She didn't recognize the demon, but apparently the others did, though that did nothing to ease their stances. Jin approached the other demon with a grin as he said, "Long time no see, Touya."

Kagome watched the demon, 'Touya', nod imperceptibly towards the wind demon and then he looked towards the small group of demons near Sesshoumaru. He recognized both the demon lord of the West and even the ookami King, but the girl in the center of these powerful demons was one he wasn't familiar with. He walked forward with purpose and bowed deeply to the Taiyoukai and King. Each returned his bow with smaller versions of their own before they walked forward to greet the ice demon. Kagome couldn't hear what they were saying but then Sesshoumaru gestured her forward and she left the invisible protective shell that came from Hiei and Kurama standing so close. She came up between the two powerful demons and met the coldest blue eyes she'd ever seen. He wasn't angry, but his entire stance said 'danger', 'uncaring', 'powerful'. She looked with uneasiness to the Taiyoukai and King before Kouga spoke up. "Touya, this is Kagome. Kagome, this is Touya. He's the strongest ice demon I've ever had the pleasure to meet, and he's going to be helping protect you from now on." Kagome's eyes widened in shock before she grew angry.

"Kouga, no!" She hugged herself tightly so she wouldn't do something she'd regret. "I'm tired of having other people being forced to protect me. Is that why Jin, Chu, and Rinku are here, too?" she said as she pointed back at the three demons in question. "It's bad enough that Kurama, Hiei, and Kazuma are here. Yusuke has been fighting with Keiko because of this, and I don't want anyone else to get hurt because of the jewel! It's my responsibility! I should be protecting it by myself, and keeping away from others who could get hurt by demons coming after it, not adding more people around me that can get hurt because of it! You and everyone else around me suffered because of it in the past…I don't want anyone else to get hurt!" she said loudly, as tears sparkled in her eyes. Her anger was crossing with her sorrow for everything that had happened in the past, all the people and demons killed because of it. Turning around in a semi-circle to look at the demons all around her, she finally said, "No more! I don't want you guys to protect me!"

"That's right, Kagome. No one else can protect you but me!" a voice called out in the clearing, earning growls from the kitsune, Taiyoukai, hiyoukai, and King. Kagome's face paled as she froze in shock, earning a glance from the ice demon in front of her, and simultaneous looks of confusion from Rinku, Jin, and Chu. They didn't know who the voice belonged to, but those who growled did. Everyone turned to face the newcomer with varying looks of interest, confusion, anger, and fear.

"Inuyasha…" Kagome mouthed soundlessly before the ugly confrontation began.

The hanyou seemed unchanged, even through the centuries. Kagome couldn't help but step forward, as if in disbelief. She hadn't seen him in only a few months, but for him it had been much longer. For a second, his eyes softened before they returned to their former proud glint of yellow. Kagome seemed to miss that as she finally caught up with what he'd said and she shouted out, regaining that wave of anger as she shouted, "Hell no, Inuyasha! You are the _last_ person I want anywhere near me, trying to protect me!"

He looked surprised at her proclamation and those that knew the hanyou and the miko's past held back snickers at her words. The hanyou looked less than pleased as he stepped closer to her and shouted back, "Why the hell not? I know what can come after the jewel, and I've faced down Naraku before. There ain't nothing worse than that bastard out there." He said proudly.

"No, Inuyasha. No." she shook her head softly, as her voice lowered in volume. "I don't want you around me. Period. You don't need to be involved in this. You fought enough in the past, and you paid a lot of harsh prices because of the jewel. You don't need to be here now. I'll take care of it this time." She said, as she tried to quietly will him to understand. In a way, she was still trying to protect him.

"You're not strong enough to protect it by yourself! Only Kikyou was strong enough to do that." He replied arrogantly, and Kagome took a step back, as if she'd been slapped. She knew the words were off-hand; she knew that he probably didn't realize what he'd said, but it didn't lessen the blow to her heart or ego any.

She wanted to say that Naraku had killed her, but she couldn't find it in her to bring up that painful memory for him. She should have retaliated, but it wasn't in her to do so. She wasn't vengeful or arrogant like him, and she didn't want to hurt him. She had loved him deeply at one time, but that time was past. "I am not Kikyou, that's for sure. But I'm not weak anymore, either, Inuyasha." She said softly, willing herself to believe that. She may not have been able to truly fight, but she could shoot arrows and she had her power at her disposal now. That was milestones past her level in the past.

"You'll always be weak, Kagome! You'll never be able to do the things Kikyou did, and that means you need protection. I'll do that, I'll stay by your side and fight off anything that tries to get the jewel." He said, as he took another step closer to her. Kagome felt tears burn at the back of her eyes but she held them forcefully back. The anger and pain within her built, and built, until there was nothing for her to do, but let it out.

"NO! Don't you understand? I don't want you here! I don't want you around! I am not Kikyou, I have never been Kikyou and I don't want to be Kikyou! I am Kagome, god-dammit! KA-GO-ME! I am sick, and tired of you comparing me to her all the time! I may not be prettier, or smarter, or stronger, or even as compassionate as you think she was, but newsflash, Inuyasha! I AM NOT HER! I am powerful on my own, without her, without Midoriko, without anybody!" she said, though she still struggled with how truthful those words might be, she felt her own power stir within her, and each demon backed up in response to the flood of that power washing out in large, towering waves. That hole within her opened and that reservoir of power spilled out of her. Inuyasha watched with confusion, and then with anger as the pure priestess energy of his first true friend came drifting towards him. He would have questioned her power, but now that he saw it, he finally just gave up trying to get into her good graces. He had ulterior motives, and he had, since he'd finally gotten over the grief that had gripped him just after the last battle with Naraku. If she didn't want to be around him, he wouldn't force her. Besides, once he got what he wanted, he would have no use for her.

"You owe me my wish, you bitch!" he shouted, as he glared at her as fiercely as he was able. Kagome at one time would have flinched at that look, but now it just angered her beyond anything she'd ever felt before. The power riding her body made her feel invincible and powerful. She rarely felt powerful. She wasn't strong, she knew that, but she was getting there, and she had a couple of good friends who would stay by her side. It was all she could ask for. At his proclamation, she growled and shouted darkly, "SIT BOY!"

Even after all of this time, the words worked on the rosary still around the inu-hanyou's neck. With the miko power riding her as it was, the spell was doubled easily and the crater formed because of it was no less than three feet deep. With almost jerky movements, she strode forward across the clearing and shouted into the hole, "I don't owe you shit!" she cursed, earning incredulous looks from the spectators watching on in total awe and confusion. Those that didn't know Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship personally were getting a heavy dose of it now. "I sacrificed my friends, my family, my life, my education and my very heart and soul for you, you son-of-a-bitch, and still you want more. I am through taking crap from you and I'm finished letting you take from me. I realize I broke the jewel, but I could have left you in that hell-hole of a past and just came back home. I could have said, "Screw it!" and just let you deal with the aftermath, but I came back, and I scouted, hunted, and otherwise scoured the whole of Japan with you to find them. I faced demons of all colors, races, and strengths, fought death in the face, and spent hundreds of Momma's hard earned money to keep everyone healthy and fed and me in uniforms. I faced the dangers the same as you. I struggled the same. I cried and bled and lost the same as you. Half the time, I was doing it _alone_ because you ran off to that imitation of Kikyou and left the rest of us alone to fend for ourselves!" she shouted as she visibly shook with unbridled rage and despair.

She hadn't noticed when those in the house came out to inspect the noise, and suddenly, the entire group was there, watching as the petite raven-haired girl completely lost control of her emotions. Sesshoumaru knew she held things deep within her; she showed a smile to most everyone and only allowed herself anger when she'd been pushed past her comfortable zone of tolerance. This was unlike anything he'd ever seen from her before and yet he couldn't find himself to stop the events unfolding in front of him. "I am not your whipping girl, and I am not your personal slave! I am not Kikyou, and I am not some weak-willed person that's going to take shit from you anymore! I am not going to be number two to anyone ever again, ESPECIALLY YOU!" she screamed, as dark storm clouds gathered overhead, almost in response to her anger.

Inuyasha shifted and twitched from the impact, unable to move for a few moments; those few moments were enough for him to hear the anger and betrayal in her voice at his words. He hadn't meant to make her so angry, but he wasn't about to back down from her either. He hadn't done it in the past, and he wouldn't do it now. He wanted the wish, and he wanted Kikyou back. More than anything he realized how much he loved Kikyou, though Kagome had treated him far better in her lifetime. Even those realizations didn't change what he wanted; he loved Kagome in a friendly way, but he knew that he'd never love her more than that. Maybe he was a jerk to lead her around for so long, but he would never admit that aloud or apologize for it. If he was a jerk to do so, then she was an idiot for letting him, he figured. Finally he found his voice as he lifted his head out of the crater and looked sharply up at Kagome's glittering white-lined eyes, "You'll never be better than Kikyou, or Sango, or even Miroku or Shippou. You will never be as good as the rest of us and no one will ever want you, you puny, worthless human! No one will ever want you!" he shouted as he hopped out of the hole, now face-to-face with the young miko. "You've been back, what, months now, and you're still a fucking virgin! You have all of these men around you and none of them have touched you. Even in the past, we spent years looking for the jewel and the only one who turned a glance your way was that damn wolf over there…" he said, gesturing to Kouga, who growled, "…and guys wanting to get a look at your panties because of the whorish outfit you wore. Eventually even _Kouga_ ended up finding a better woman and mated Ayame. You're not worth anyone's time or effort except for the jewel. These demons here…" he pointed to everyone else in the clearing, "…are here to look after the jewel, not you. If you didn't have the jewel, they wouldn't be here now, wasting their time with you. Hell, you wouldn't be here because no one would fucking care! You'd still be at home alone, because no one wants an ugly weak human like you!"

The words spewed from his lips in hateful lines that pierced Kagome's heart with needles of pain. Each word was another sharp tip into her already bleeding chest. She knew that he was only trying to hurt her. She knew that the words were for the most part, lies. Maybe she was weak, and maybe she was unwanted, but she wished that someday someone would want her, that someone would love her. He knew the words that would hurt her most, and he always had. As his rant ended, silence filled the clearing and each person made a move to walk forward, wanting to help console her or beat him if it would help the situation. Genkai's eyes blazed with anger, but it was nothing compared to Hiei and Kurama. Even Jin, Rinku, and Chu were sporting looks of distaste at what was going on before them. Kagome seemed like a nice girl, and though they knew why they were there, it wasn't like they didn't mind getting to know the young girl. She was pleasant and courteous to them. It was a welcome change from miko's of the past who tried to purify them on the spot. They didn't know what had happened in the past with her, but they could bet that what the hanyou was saying was untrue.

"I want her."

Kagome turned quickly to look at Kurama as he stepped forward and took a stand beside her, his eyes lacing with gold even as he tried to keep Youko in control. The clearing was quiet enough to hear a pin drop before Sesshoumaru broke the silence, saying, "This Sesshoumaru wants her." He too, moved forward to stand next to Kurama, earning her stunned look as she met his eyes. Hiei, without speaking, moved forward beside her, declaring his intensions without breaking the silence. Kagome's eyes dropped from the gold of the Taiyoukai to the red of the hiyoukai, and she couldn't help the softening warmth that filled them, bringing those tears to light as one fell down her cheek. Jin and Kouga moved together to stand beside Hiei, and then Kuwabara, Yusuke, Genkai, Yukina, Rinku, Chu, and even Touya moved to join the line that had formed in front of the hanyou, who was looking absolutely astounded.

Keiko stood back, her anger almost tangible around her form. She did not want Kagome, any part of Kagome, and she took her stand there and now. She knew it was seen by all present, but she wanted nothing to do with this life, or this danger. She didn't want Yusuke around a strange girl, and she certainly didn't want him in danger because of this girl. She was defiant, and though she knew that it was going to return with some serious repercussions, she did not care. Her pride and high-horse made her feel that it was worth it.

Kagome couldn't speak properly as she struggled to swallow a hard lump in her throat. Her friends, her true friends, and even some who she just met, were standing up for her. It made her feel worthwhile, and the strength in that was impossible to calculate. Her eyes met with Inuyasha's and he finally seemed to get a grip on himself as he said, "You're mine. Mine to do whatever I want with, you selfish bitch. You were mine before you were any of theirs and I will get what I want from you!" he shouted, before he reached forward and gripped her arm. In a flash of speed that no one could really see, she was dragged forward and thrown over the inu-hanyou's shoulder and he leaped back and away from the line of her friends and protectors. He grinned triumphantly at them before he turned and fled into a portal that magically appeared behind him. Hiei leaped forward with impossible speed and strength only to land on the steps of the shrine. The air was empty, and Kagome and Inuyasha were gone.

/chapter

A/N: I know! I'm such a horrible authoress, leaving such a cliffhanger there. I promise the next chapter will be just as riveting, or I hope it will be. The muses are being generous to me lately with this story. I hope you all are enjoying it as much as I enjoy writing it.

Again, keep sending in your suggestions for a main pairing. I'm taking all thoughts and considerations in mind.

Thank you all for your continuing support on this story, and thank you, again, to all you who review, favorite, and watch this story. I especially appreciate the constructive criticism that you guys give me. :) It helps me fix things that I might not notice otherwise.

Kudos, loves!~

animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan


	12. Shelter from the Abyss

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. Each belongs to their respective owners. I make no profit from the writing of this fanfiction story. All ideas are mine and mine alone.

Searching for Shelter

Chapter 12

Shelter from the Abyss

One minute Kagome was looking at the back of the shrine, and the next she was in the only vaguely familiar world of the Makai. She recognized the pink skies and the almost barren wasteland that she'd seen from above with Botan when she was still a spirit. She knew that Inuyasha had thrown her over his shoulder like so many demons had done to her in the past, and she knew that she was afraid. There was little else she knew, but that was enough to have her struggling. She was stronger now than she was before, and even if she had to eat dirt, she would not let him get away with this! Taking in a deep breath, even as they raced at dizzying speeds towards an unknown destination, she shouted out loudly, "Sit boy!" The hanyou didn't even realize what was happening until both he and the young miko plummeted from the air to the hard, merciless earth with a harsh impact. Kagome landed in an unforgiving position on her back and her head snapped back with the force. She saw spots and her vision swam for a few moments before the darkness closed in on her, and vaguely she thought that she was going to kill Inuyasha for taking her.

The inu-hanyou was stunned for a few moments, but he recovered and he picked up his much stiller package before he grinned and moved forward towards the secret place he had created in anticipation of this moment. He knew he had to wait a long time for Kagome to get back to her time. He couldn't use the well anymore and maybe if he had been able to see her these past five centuries he wouldn't have grown so angry and bitter, but the longer time passed, the longer his anger and regret had to grow. He didn't get his wish, and he didn't get to keep a girl: either girl. He had lost everything. Shippou gained a new family, and Sango and Miroku started one of their own. He was left alone again and he was furious. Kikyou was taken from him and he blamed Kagome for that. Naraku might have killed her, but it was Kagome who broke the jewel and started a timeline of events that he loathed. He almost wished he'd been pinned to that tree for the rest of his existence, but she had taken that from him, and she had taken Kikyou from him in the form of her soul, and she had taken the wish, and the jewel, and parts of his heart, too. She had left him nothing and he was going to exact his revenge for that. She didn't want him anymore, and he didn't think she should get a choice. She was not going to leave him alone again, and if she didn't want him, he knew someone who did, and he wasn't above killing her to bring back the love of his life.

Koenma's office held more visitors than it ever had in the past and he didn't think there was room for his elder form or he might have wasted the energy just so he could stand on equal footing with the demons in the room with him. He was looking over his monitor trying to find a signature of Kagome's energy, and he wasn't finding it. The worry was growing in leaps and bounds as Hiei stroked the hilt of his katana and imagined bathing in the hanyou's blood. Kurama had similar thoughts of feeding the dog to his plants. Sesshoumaru was on the edge, scanning the monitor just as Koenma was. Her signature was non-existent which was a bad sign. It meant she couldn't draw her power, or she was unconscious. She was in danger, and his inner being was screaming to find her and kill his half-brother slowly and painfully.

"I can't find her, and Inuyasha's signature isn't strong enough to be picked up. His hanyou blood registers more human than demon and I can't find him." Koenma informed them all, his face tense with fear, worry, and concentration. Rain clouded the vision on the screen slightly, ensuring that his scent would be lost soon, if it wasn't already.

"He just took her! We can't let him hurt her; she didn't do anything to him!" Kuwabara said, his own fear clouding his voice. He wanted to be strong, but if they couldn't find her, he didn't know how they could save her. He didn't know what the hanyou had in mind for the young miko, but it couldn't be anything good. Growls filled the air as each demon looked to Kuwabara before they looked to one another.

"Well I don't know about you, but I'm going out there to look for her! What the hell kind of protectors are we that we let one half-human dog get past us with her?" Yusuke shouted his anger more at himself than anything else. Keiko had been sent back home and he had a feeling that things between them were over. Kagome was one of them now, even if it wasn't as strong a bond as with Shizuru or Yukina, and Keiko had left her out to dry. His embarrassment was trumped by his worry and anger at the situation.

There were more growls in the air, but no one spoke, and Yusuke flashed his eyes on the toddler ruler. "Get Botan in here and get us a portal to the Makai. There are enough of us that one of us should pick up something. We'll find her and then, he'll pay for this." The toushin said darkly as he synced up with his mazoku powers that lay dormant just below the surface of his skin. His hair started to grow and the marks of his heritage began to appear even as the grim reaper appeared in her typical pink kimono and oar. Without speaking, she opened a portal and watched as each demon filed out into the Makai. The rain was indeed falling hard, and each person scowled before Sesshoumaru took the lead, letting himself go as he transformed into his full-demon dog form. It had been so long since he became his fabled form and he reveled in it. The moment the transformation was complete he glanced back to the astonished faces of his companions. They had never seen anything like him before and some were feeling a serious case of equipment envy as they let their own power build in the area. Hiei took off his bandana and opened his Jagan widely and began scanning the area for lingering traces of Kagome. Kuwabara let his senses grow as he sought her unique signature and Kurama placed a hand to the wet ground to listen to the nearby foliage as if they would have the answers he sought. Jin hovered expectantly on the wind as he waited for any sign of confirmation from the searching demons, and got it when Sesshoumaru howled loudly and took off in a mad dash towards his own home in the West.

The darkness of the cave was offset only by the slim lighting that appeared at the entrance and the various cracks in the ceiling. Inuyasha left Kagome lying on a flat slab of rock far inside the depths of the formation while he made sure that everything was prepared for what he was going to do. He'd injected her with some of Sesshoumaru's poison, a weak one, but one effective enough to hold her immobile for hours and hours, even with her healing powers. He'd also bound her hands and feet with a little rope, just as an extra precaution. He was in another corner of the cave, leaned over a small box that held a few ashes, some dirt, and a rolled up scroll with a recipe on it. The ingredients weren't particularly rare, at least, not rare to a royal prince of the West. He had gathered everything on the list, except for one thing, and that one thing lay unconscious in the corner of the cave. There was a large plastic tub set up even further into the cave, so her screams, should she scream, wouldn't be heard. Close to him was an offshoot that had small openings in it that allowed little air to enter the cave, but not too much that it was drafty. Within was a formed figure that was baking away on top of a fresh bed of coals. It wouldn't be much longer and the kindling process would be complete.

Moving towards the plastic tub, he began to mix some of the ingredients together in jars and then, he poured the contents into the tub, wrinkling his nose in disgust at the smell. He quickly placed a piece of cloth around his face and under his nose to protect himself from passing out and continued his work. After the tub was nearly full, he moved back out and retrieved Kagome and carried her deeper into the cave. He placed her beside the tub and then moved back out towards the room that was now emitting some smoke. With a pleased look, he moved the rock away from the opening and the fresh air stoked the coals lightly before they all were magically put out. The form within looked at Inuyasha with unseeing eyes. "Come on, Kikyou. I know you're not feeling well, but we'll fix that." He said softly as he reached a hand for the clay form he had created. Her form fell forward with no recognition of who he was, but the hanyou didn't mind. He pulled her forward and picked her body up in his arms and carted her back towards the tub and the final step of the process. He had found another witch in the five centuries since Kagome had died and left him, and she was kind enough, with a little persuasion, to give him the things needed to create Kikyou a body again. She had given him the magic, because he didn't have it himself, and she had been compensated well for her time and effort, just before he killed her.

He laid the cooling form of the other miko on the stone ground before he picked up Kagome and placed her in the soupy concoction he'd made. At the feel of the cool liquid on her skin, her eyes flew open and she took in a deep gasp of air. Her eyes flew over her surroundings and she screamed before Inuyasha's laugh stalled her. "That's right, just scream. No one will hear you and the rain has covered our tracks for sure. No one will get here in time and I'll have what I want, and you will pay for leaving me alone and getting Kikyou killed." He said, his voice low and malicious even as he was greedily continuing with his plans.

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome screamed out, her voice full of fear and anxiety as she looked to the concoction that swirled around her. She remembered the smell, and the texture of this particular substance. She knew what was happening, and she couldn't stop it. She tried to lift herself out of the tub only to slosh back into it and nearly get some in her mouth.

Her terror-filled eyes met with his golden ones as he laughed again and said, "You left me behind. You let Kikyou get killed. You gave Shippou to Sesshoumaru, and you made Sango and Miroku leave me. You left me alone, and here you were with a bunch of other demons, laughing it up behind my back. You know, I met that Yusuke and Kurama before. They came to see Fluffy, and they said they weren't sleeping with you. I didn't believe them, but I find you as virgin as the day you were born. Maybe I should have changed that but I don't want to mess up the process if you being a virgin has anything to do with it." He said, as carelessly as he could. He wanted her for her soul, nothing more. Kikyou was the only woman he'd had sex with and she was the only one he wanted to have that kind of relationship with. In his twisted mind, Kagome betrayed him. His aged human mind was warring with his demon mind and he was literally going insane as each year passed. He was ill, but he didn't know it. Sesshoumaru had an inkling, but there was nothing he could do about it, except find a way to make Inuyasha one or the other, human, or demon, and since there were few ways to accomplish that, the inu-hanyou was a ticking time bomb.

Kagome felt tears slide down her face but she couldn't push them away and she tried to reason with him, even as she felt her soul being pulled at her body. The sensation was painful, and her terror spiked as she screamed out mentally for anyone to help her. "I didn't leave you on purpose, Inuyasha! I died, remember? I had to go; I wasn't supposed to be in that time. Kikyou should have stayed away, it was our battle. She got herself into trouble, I didn't do that. And Naraku was the one who killed her anyway. The first time, and the last time, too. Don't you remember that?" she asked, trying to keep the fear out of her eyes, though she knew he could smell it on her.

"You weren't supposed to die!" he shouted out as his eyes flattened to slits of red for a second. "Naraku killed you both, right in front of my eyes. Well, I'm taking Kikyou back. You're already dead, so is Kikyou. You're both dead, I'm just picking the one I want." He said, his tone flat as if he were listening to voices that only he could hear.

"But I'm not dead!" Kagome shrieked as she felt the first pull of her soul as it fought to stay in her body, but the liquid tried to pull it away from her. "I'm alive! Koenma put me back together! I'm not dead!" she shouted as she screamed again in fear and pain.

"You died." He said again softly as he moved back to pet 'Kikyou's' hair softly. "You died in front of me. He killed you." And with that said, he stood and moved the clay figure closer to the tub and looked to Kagome's frightened sapphire eyes. He didn't say anything, but waited, knowing what would happen. In a few moments, her soul would be his, and he would have Kikyou back.

Kagome's mental scream nearly put Hiei into the river. When her cry reached his widely opened Jagan, he had been in mid-jump over the large body of water as he followed Sesshoumaru's gleaming white form. Her terror spiraled down his spine until he felt overwhelmed by it. His skin shook as he processed what was happening and his eyes narrowed into slits of pure, uncontrolled rage. His skin promptly began to change color to chartreuse, and then to a dark, almost black, green color. Most of the team was familiar with this form from the hiyoukai, but each of them knew that the stakes had just been raised when Hiei stepped up his game to this level. Without a word of warning, he shot off like a rocket towards the source of fear and left everyone else in the dust. He was one of the fastest demons in the Makai, and he was proving that in this moment. The rest of the team followed him as fast as their legs would carry them. Kuwabara was quickly left behind but Hiei couldn't bring himself to care when Kagome's panic was racing through him at a more intense pace. Suddenly, he could see a cave in the distance, but as that formation came into sight, her panic was suddenly gone.

His heart lept into his chest as he felt waves of emptiness and a dark, foreboding shadow where previously there had been Kagome's fear. Screaming out her name, he pushed himself faster and harder than he'd ever done in his life as he felt Kurama shift first into Youko and then into the kitsune's animal form. Seconds later, both reached the opening of the cave and they didn't hesitate to enter, each fighting to reach Kagome.

Kagome kept trying to tell him that she was alive, that she wasn't dead, but he wasn't listening to her anymore, and in a few moments she couldn't even speak anymore because of the numbing poison that he'd put into her system. She fought to struggle even a little bit in the foul-smelling potion that she was in, but eventually even her struggles ceased as she felt her heartbeat resonate with her soul leaving her body. Thrums of beats echoed out of her body as her blood pulsed in her ears. She wanted to cry, to scream, anything to keep her soul within her, but the potion was working just like it had last time, and again, she was helpless to do anything but wait for him to speak her previous incarnations name.

Her eyes closed just as Hiei and Kurama barreled into the room and she didn't even have the power to sense them. Her heart stuttered as Inuyasha whispered, "Kikyou. Come to me…Kikyou." And her soul shattered. From the confines of her petite form, her soul split into the air and a fierce wind surrounded them. Kagome's body was tossed into the air by the force of it, and Kikyou's body went with her as each piece flew into the undead body that Inuyasha had created for her. This time it looked as if it would be different. Kagome's entire soul resonated with Kikyou's 'body', and there was nothing to stop it this time. Last time, Inuyasha had called to the hatred in the shared soul of the miko's, but this time, there was no anger or hatred; she had died at the hands of Naraku, and her soul had somehow found peace with Kagome. There was nothing to stop him from stealing the soul from her live body and putting it into the false corpse that was Kikyou. The unexpected shout of Hiei, the only one with a working human mouth, froze time as he called out darkly, "Kagome!"

The soul, which had been splitting away in pieces from the young miko to the undead form, paused, resonating with both names: Kikyou was in the past, Kagome was in the present. Before, the anger and hate had given Kikyou a chance to keep a piece of the young miko's soul. Now, there was nothing strong enough to tie any of the soul to the clay form of the undead form and Kagome's body pulled back at its soul, drawing it out of the undead form with speed and ease. After all, the soul knew which body was warm and living, and the clay corpse had no power or memories of its own to hold onto any part of her soul.

Inuyasha howled in anguish as he saw Kagome's body start to take back the soul he'd worked so hard to steal from her. He clawed into his chest and drew blood enough to coat his sharp nails before he aimed at her floating body in the air. "That is Kikyou's soul!" he screamed as he raised his arm to attack her immobile form. As he did, he was tackled to the ground by a large and heavy silver fox, one that was intent on eating the hanyou for dinner. Hiei was stunned as he reached for Kagome's hovering form. Her soul was coming back to her in pieces and he quickly turned and drew his katana. He slashed down and decapitated the clay form that was even now, releasing pieces of her soul. As soon as the form was disabled, the rest of Kagome's soul flew back to her in a frenzy as it assembled itself over her hovering form. Inuyasha howled again as he reached desperately for his lost love. His demon blood fought to take over, but the sword at his side kept him half-human, if not sane.

He wasn't strong enough to push off the strength of the fox demon, and at the loss of his Kikyou he seemed to lose the will to move anymore, too. Hiei watched as Kagome's body finally began to come down from its hovering state and he reached forward and grabbed her in his arms before she went back into the wet, and smelly tub that she was above. He held her shivering and cold form to his own warm one as he upped the heat his own body was producing. She was breathing erratically and her entire form was quivering even as he held her. Moments later, the rest of the team arrived, and Sesshoumaru whimpered when he saw her dejected form. Quickly, he nuzzled her neck with his nose and he blew out the breath through his nose. She'd been poisoned by his own mixture! She had been soaked in some liquid that he didn't recognize, and he quickly searched the cave and came up a small chest that smelled of death, Kikyou, and had a scroll within. He transformed back to his humanoid form and looked over the written directions and he growled darkly as he moved closer to where Kurama was still pinning his half-brother. "What did you hope to accomplish! She is not, nor will she ever be Kikyou! She is alive, and Kikyou has been dead, truly dead, for centuries!" he shouted, his frustration and anger evident.

Inuyasha looked up at the taller demon with broken eyes. It seemed he'd put all his hopes and dreams into having Kikyou back and that had failed miserably. He knew he would be lucky if he was killed. Otherwise he was in for a lot of pain and punishment for nearly killing Kagome. No one in this rag-tag team of demons would let him get away with anything that he'd done. "Kagome died too, right in front of me. She died protecting me." He said, earning looks from each demon in the room. A couple of them knew about it, such as the Spirit Detectives, but those just now called on this case didn't, and they looked with pity to the young girl who was still passed out. After everything she'd done for the hanyou, he had treated her so badly. Each made a small vow to themselves that they would protect her, even if she insisted that she didn't need them.

"Kagome is the last guardian, the final guardian. We couldn't just let her die. There are no other miko's with even a fraction of the power she has, and no one we could entrust to keep it safe. She's already proved that she will do anything to keep it safe, and so, we made a deal that will keep it in her hands." Koenma explained later as he sat in the living room of Genkai's shrine with the group present. Inuyasha was held by Sesshoumaru and some plants of Kurama's as they all looked to the not-so-toddler of the Spirit Realm.

"So…I'll never see Kikyou again?" Inuyasha questioned sullenly as he looked to the Reikai leader even as Kurama tightened the vines around the hanyou's hands. He winced but didn't say anything about it. It was a point of pride for him, and he didn't want them to see he was in discomfort.

Koenma shook his head before saying, "No. Kagome is the reincarnation of the miko, Kikyou. Kagome, unless she dies, is not going to lose her soul to anyone else, or be reincarnated into another body. I don't anticipate her dying any time soon, and if you or anyone else tries to pull a stunt like you did today, there will be hell to pay. Do you understand me? My father will get involved and what he will do is nothing short of disastrous to keep that jewel out of the wrong hands." The young ruler said as he leaned down and peered darkly into the hanyou's golden eyes.

"Don't worry, Koenma. He's not going to go near Kagome ever again." Kurama said fiercely as he clenched his fists in rage. Hiei was still mauling trees as per his teammates request after he nearly fried the hanyou, not that he didn't deserve it, but they needed answers.

Inuyasha glared at the kitsune before he growled out, "She'll forgive me. She always forgives me, no matter what I've done."

Each person in the room turned their head towards the arrogant hanyou and each glared before he lifted his nose with contempt. "We won't let you go near her again." Kurama growled back darkly before Inuyasha smirked and looked back at the irate kitsune. "That's what you said last time. You and that guy over there." He said, as he inclined his head towards Yusuke.

The barely contained toushin raced forward and grabbed up the collar of Inuyasha's fire red kimono and shouted, "I'll make you eat those words you fucking dog!"

Kuwabara raced forward and pulled back hard on Yusuke's green outfit, saying, "Calm down man, he deserves a beating but not right this second. Everyone'll get their chance. C'mon…" he coaxed as he eased the detectives grip on the fabric he held. The mazoku demon let himself be pulled back to his corner of the room and he finally turned and grumbled out that he was going to check on Kagome. The tension level dropped a few notches as he stomped out of the room and down the hallway towards the room that held the barely stable miko.

Sesshoumaru looked into Koenma's eyes as he questioned, "What do you suggest we do with him? Honor would allow any of us to kill him for touching our own, but with the Reikai Spirit Detectives involved, I don't know if this falls to your jurisdiction." He knew of the jails in the Reikai for demons that got out of hand, and he would just as soon kill the hanyou than sentence him. He deserved to hurt and suffer as he had made Kagome suffer.

Koenma was quiet before he looked into the defiant eyes of the hanyou. He knew that the hanyou's unstable mind would only get worse as the years progressed. He could already see that his mind was being overwhelmed by the contrast in human and demon blood. Five centuries had changed that for the other half-beings around him. Yusuke's own mazoku power was so strong that he was in no danger of losing himself even a millennium from now, and Kurama was literally sharing a body and soul with Youko, so he would be fine as well, even if he lost more of his human traits as Youko regained more and more of his own spirit energy. Inuyasha had no such barriers or strength to draw from. Finally he looked up from the inu-hanyou and into the eyes of the Taiyoukai. "Unless there is some way to turn him into one or the other, a full demon or a full human, there is little hope for him. He will continue to long for Kikyou, and Kagome will be in danger." He said, earning glances from those left in the room.

"Then he's screwed because there isn't a way to do that is there?" Kuwabara asked, as he stepped forward to include himself in the conversation.

Sesshoumaru pondered a moment before he said quietly, "There is a way, but she would have to be willing, and I don't know if she wants him to even be alive anymore, after what he did."

Inuyasha looked with confusion to his half-brother before he looked to the others in the room. He didn't know what the Taiyoukai was thinking but he didn't think he wanted any part of it. "Just kill me and get it over with. That bitch eluded death when Kikyou couldn't, I'll prove this bastard wrong and kill her just to see her reincarnated back into Kikyou's body." He said as he struggled again in his bonds. Kurama growled again and let one of the thorns on the restraints nick his hand sharply. Inuyasha winced but didn't say anything as he watched blood flow from the small, but painful wound. It was almost like a paper cut, and damnit if those didn't sting.

"Silence!" Sesshoumaru boomed out as he looked towards the kitsune with approval in his eyes. "The Shikon no Tama can grant a wish, perhaps she can wish him one way or the other. I would pick human myself, because you make a piss-poor demon as it is, I would hate to see you as a full demon and fail." He said, purposely goading the hanyou with spite. "Father would be so displeased with you." He added.

Inuyasha growled darkly and shouted, "Fuck you, Fluffy! I don't want shit from her! She can go fucking die for all I care! She's a worthless bitch who couldn't even keep herself alive. If it weren't for me she'd be dead fifty times with all the stupid reckless shit she did in the past. Nobody better let her try to turn me into a weak-ass human! I'll kill them!" he shouted, his struggling renewed as he imagined her turning him into a human to spite him.

"That 'reckless shit' as you so call it, saved your life in the end, you ungrateful hanyou." Kurama growled out as he tightened the vines again. Sesshoumaru gave him a warning look; those vines were getting dangerously close to cutting skin and once his blood was spilled in quantity he was sure that they would just finish the job. The kitsune backed off slightly before he said, "I think he just needs to be killed. Kagome wouldn't agree, but then again, Kagome is kind and she wouldn't want to know that she was the reason he was executed. He deserves to pay for what he did." He wanted to shout, but he kept a level-head throughout this process. Hiei was a different story, but the volatile fire demon had a lot more physically and emotionally to deal with than the kitsune.

No one could disagree with that statement, and it was at that moment that they finally came to terms. "Koenma, what be tha' sentence for this sort of thing in tha' Spirit Realm? I'm sure there be other guardians out there in tha' world." Jin spoke up, finally breaking the tense atmosphere with a question of his own.

The brown-haired leader looked up at the question before his mouth set into a grim line. "The sentence for trying to take the life of a guardian is death. Father's rules are strict. Kurama and Hiei were lucky that Yusuke didn't die of his injuries, and they are powerful. The fact that they seemed to get along also helped in the sentencing process. They agreed to become detectives and they knew that if there was any moment that they broke Reikai law again they would die. I don't trust Inuyasha to be a detective that will listen and I don't trust his blood to not make him crazy again. If it were up to me and me alone, I would sentence him to death." Silence filled the room before Sesshoumaru nodded gravely and Inuyasha hung his head; he knew that it was over for him now. Life as he knew it was over.

Yusuke looked into the room that held Kagome's still form and he saw Yukina placing another cool washcloth over the girl's pale face. Genkai was off meditating somewhere, and everyone else was in the meeting with Koenma. The young koorime looked up as the door opened and she smiled tenderly at him. The toushin nodded gently before he moved in and took a seat on the other side of the bed. He had seen her like this before, when she was a spirit, waiting to get back into her body. He had promised her that he would visit her, and he wanted to be her friend. This afternoon mucked all of that up and he knew he fucked up with her big-time. Inuyasha just made the situation worse, but he hoped that she could find it in her to forgive him for listening so much to Keiko. Keiko was his girlfriend and his first real friend. He'd known her since they were toddlers, but today had crossed a line between them that he didn't know if they could recover from. She didn't support the team, and therefore, she didn't support him, and that was a harsh blow to not only his ego, but his heart, too.

His hands moved forward of their own accord and he grasped her pale hand between his own. Yukina stood and moved out of the room quietly to go get some fresh, cold water, leaving him alone with the young miko. He hung his head lightly before he leaned closer and said softly, "I'm sorry, Kagome. I messed up. I…you're not just a job to me. You're one of my friends, and…" he paused, not sure how to express himself. He was never particularly eloquent with words and as they failed him now, he cursed and said, "Damnit, I didn't mean any of that. I didn't want Keiko to think we were close but it shouldn't matter. If she trusted me…it shouldn't matter. I'm sorry you were hurt…I'm sorry." He said again, before he held her hand to his chest a moment only to say, "Please be okay." Tears stung at his eyes unexpectedly and he thought of Genkai, and how weak she was just before she died the first time, and he held Kagome's hand tighter and whispered again, "Please wake up." Silence filled the room, and he was about to let her hand go and leave when he felt her hand squeeze into his own. Her eyes were still closed, but it was a sign. She was still in there. Relief flooded him as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead gently. "There are a ton of us here. You're not alone, Kagome." He whispered, before he sat back down and kept a hold on her hand, finding that some of that dark ugliness that had been in his chest loosened and seemed to float away. He knew who to thank for that.

/chapter

A/N: End chapter 12. I hope you all are enjoying 'Searching' thus far. Main pairing is still up in the air, so suggestions are welcome. I like Kagome with any of the Yu Yu Hakusho crew, or Inuyasha crew (except Inuyasha, ironically) so don't be afraid to name a pairing that's atypical or rare. ^_^ I'll take any and all into consideration.

As always, thank you to those who watch, favorite, and review this story. I appreciate the encouragements and enthusiasm of my readers, and it helps feed the muse who is hungrily perched on my chair. At this point I'm at an injunction. I'm not quite sure where I want this to go. The pairing I choose will be a big factor into where this goes. I didn't expect it to turn out as long as it has actually, so I'll see what the muses have in mind. Thanks for hanging with me guys on this journey.

I was looking over my reviews, and someone suggested I split this story into multiple parts, with the pairing being different in each ending. (A multi-ending xover?) That would be a TON of work, but I'm seriously taking it into consideration. If I have multiple ideas for this story's ending, then perhaps I will go that direction. I'll keep you guys updated if that, indeed, turns out to be the case. I'm also working on a few one shot story ideas, and playing with a few short story (less than five chapter) pieces. I'll update what I have on those to give you guys some more to read from me. My home page looks rather sad and lonely with just SFS on it.

Kudo's, loves!~

animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan


	13. Shelter from Revenge

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. Both belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from this fanfiction story. It is made for pure amusement, and nothing more. All ideas within are mine and mine alone.

Chapter 13

Shelter from Revenge

Inuyasha was placed in a holding cell in the Reikai, awaiting execution by official hands. The godling didn't have a problem per se with the others doing the task themselves, but he had given his professional opinion on the matter, and took it upon himself to officially sentence the mentally deteriorating hanyou. Finally, the team met again, this time to discuss what was so important that the Taiyoukai called a meeting in the first place.

"When I came here yesterday, there was no one watching over Kagome except for Hiei. Imagine what could have happened if Inuyasha had chosen then to appear, instead of today. We could have failed her, and she would be dead and Kikyou would be walking this earth again." Sesshoumaru began in a quiet voice. He was angry, but that was fading under the sense of urgency to make sure that the young miko was properly cared for. He had his lands to run, and other duties that kept him away often. Even now he had Shippou running things at the castle as he dealt with this matter personally. The rest of the room was silent, each sporting various looks of guilt and uncertainty. He had a point, a rather large one.

Koenma, who was still there to lend his own support and expertise to the meeting, said, "We would be in a world of hurt now if something had happened to her. It was only luck that helped everyone find her today after this fiasco. She still sleeps, but Yukina says that she just needs to rest and she'll be fine." He said, informally giving the rest of the group an update on the miko's condition.

"He had no right to hurt her. She gave everything for him and he treated her like a slave or something." Kuwabara said again after a moment, earning various motions of agreement from the group. Hiei had since returned from smashing things up in time to see the inu-hanyou thrown into Reikai prison, and he took pleasure in seeing that that particular threat was gone and would no longer plague the miko he was fond of, at least, not if he had anything to say about it.

"We need a plan, or some sort of schedule to keep her safe. This isn't a part-time mission, but one that will last for the rest of her days. I know that's not typical, and it's going to be difficult and perhaps taxing at times, but it's the only thing I can think of to keep the jewel safe. It could be removed from her, but that just gives demons extra incentive to break into the Reikai vaults and steal it. I'd rather a person guard the jewel at all times instead of leaving it to the security of the Spirit Realm. The fact that it's inside of her and hidden just enforces my belief that it should stay with her, not to mention that without her, it absorbs the taint around her." Koenma elaborated, as he subtly pushed the conversation back on topic.

"Yeah, and we know how safe those vaults actually are." Yusuke said with a snort as the Reikai ruler glared at him and Kurama held back a soft, knowing smirk. Hiei's eyes met the kitsune's and they shared a silent conversation before Chu broke the silence.

"The lil' Sheila isn't going to like this." Chu said with a worried tone, as he glanced over his companions lightly.

"What do you mean?" Rinku questioned him as he glanced up at the larger man.

"This place is going to become a prison for her. I don't expect she'll be able to leave this place, at least, not without some sort of escort. She'll be forced to stay here for her own safety and the safety of the jewel. She's not going to be free." He explained quietly, as his eyes met with a few of the others in the room. Each looked back with varying degrees of pity and sadness. It was true; Inuyasha's life as he knew it was over, but so was Kagome's. All because of this jewel that Midoriko created centuries before.

Silence filled the room before Sesshoumaru spoke again. "I talked to her about learning different techniques, and learning to fight. I don't wish her to be confined to this temple for the rest of her life, but until I know she is strong enough to stay safe on her own, or until someone takes up that responsibility full time, I don't see how any of us have a choice in the matter. The jewel is dangerous, and Kagome is pack. We must come to terms on how to best protect her and keep her safe." He said, his own voice dropping in volume as the frustration at the situation became evident that it was taking a toll on the Taiyoukai.

Silence filled the room again until Touya, surprisingly, broke the silence. "What if she were to take a mate?" Nine sets of eyes rested sharply on his blank face before he elaborated. "The mating process gives power to both beings, and in this case, the stronger Kagome is, and the more power that's in her arsenal, the better it will be for her, and for the rest of us. Besides that, the demon who did mate with her would get immunity to her power, which would ensure that other beings that would be after the jewel would have fewer ways to incapacitate her protector." He explained. Each person took in his explanation and had to grudgingly agree that he was right. A mate would help solve a lot of problems, but a few of them couldn't help but think that it would just compound a few more.

"I don't want to take that away from her." Koenma said softly after a moment as he looked with sad eyes to the rest of the group. Some confusion and uncertainty reflected back at him before he explained, "She has lost so much of her freedom with being the protector, and she has suffered because of it. I don't want to take away another choice of hers by forcing her to choose someone to mate, to bind herself to, for the rest of her life. If it's a voluntary choice, then I won't interfere, but I don't want to force her to take that step just to make her safer. We are powerful enough that we can protect her until the status quo changes."

Again, everyone seemed to be in agreement on that statement and some of the tension that built up at the mere mention of a mate faded away. "Then how about some of us stay here permanently?" Yusuke asked, as he looked to the toddler ruler. Koenma looked a little confused before Yusuke explained. "I've stayed here for months at a time before training, and I could help teach Kagome how to fight. I could live here with Grandma and Hiei's here all the time anyway, so that makes two of us. If we get called on a mission then we can call for back-up, or if we need to go into the city for some reason, others can take up post until we get back. I know that some of us feel more comfortable and have lives in the Makai, but this will make sure that everyone can keep a normal life and we can still protect Kagome. Besides, if this place was suddenly flooded with all of us on a full-time basis it would be like shouting to demons in the Makai that there was something special here, something possibly powerful, like marking an 'X' on a treasure map." He said, his voice quiet, but intense as he thought this through.

Each demon agreed with the statement and Hiei nodded imperceptibly to the toushin before Koenma said, "That's a great idea, Yusuke. I know Genkai won't mind your company and you would still be in a position where you could train and get stronger, too. This place is fairly fortified, and I know Genkai has special protections on the surrounding areas to help keep this place safe. I couldn't pick a better place to make as our home base, so to speak."

Sesshoumaru agreed as well, and he looked to Hiei and then Kurama. "You have expertise in the way of the sword, and you are a plant manipulator. I would appreciate it if you both would work with Kagome and expand her area of knowledge." They nodded before he looked to Jin, Touya, Rinku, and then Chu. "Your areas of strength are not known to me, but if you could help her each in your own way, it would be helpful." They nodded as well before it seemed as if an invisible weight lifted from the Taiyoukai's shoulders. Kouga had been silent throughout this meeting and he agreed that training her and building her confidence would help keep her safe just as much as having actual protectors around. Kagome's fire had been diminished by Inuyasha and he was waiting to see that true spark of hers flare back to life.

"There's something else I wanted to speak with you about, Koenma." Genkai's soft, gravelly voice broke through the discussion as the Reikai ruler looked to her with curiosity. "Kagome truly died, like Yusuke. Would it be presumptuous of me to assume that she has some sort of spirit energy within her as well that will need training?" she said, earning incredulous looks from the rest of the group. They all seemed to forget that small tidbit of information and they all looked from the toushin to the Reikai leader with equal looks of astonishment, confusion, and curiosity. They knew how powerful Yusuke had become, and they didn't know if that was the fault of the strength of the boy himself, or if it was partially attributed to the dormant mazoku demon blood in his veins. If Kagome was so powerful without her spirit energy being trained, it was disconcerting to think about how powerful she might be with that added boost to her repertoire. Their fear and uneasiness was misplaced because Kagome would never hurt them, but demons grew up to avoid, fear, or confront those stronger than themselves. It wasn't personal, just experience.

"No, you're right, Genkai. I expect you'll be able to handle that portion of her training. I don't know how flexible it will be, but I'm sure you will bring it out to its fullest potential." He said with a light nod as he glanced to Yusuke. The toushin looked excited at the prospect of training again, and of even training with Kagome.

"Is it alright if I stay, too?" Rinku asked, as he broke the silence and moved towards Yusuke. He took random odd jobs in the Makai to get by, being who and what he was. His popularity had grown since his involvement in the Dark Tournament but he didn't mind trying out a permanent residence. Sure, he might get bored, but he'd never know until he tried. Besides, he wanted to get to know Kagome a little better, and he didn't like that she had nearly died when he'd been asked to help protect her. His childlike pride was fierce, and he hated that in essence, he'd failed her.

Everyone looked surprised at the question before Kuwabara grinned and said, "Of course! You're going to have to practice with me some though…I'd say it's about time for a rematch."

They gave each other a competitive smirk before he nodded, and Yusuke stepped in and said comically, "Whoa there guys, keep it in the ring. Genkai would beat you both if you hurt her living room." He was liking the idea more and more of being free from the city, and from his drunken mother, and finally, of Keiko. Was he avoiding their confrontation that had yet to be concluded? Probably. Did he really care? Not particularly. His mind was on the pale-faced young girl who had given everything, and was still giving everything, for other people. She died for Inuyasha. The hanyou tried to take her soul. She used her spirit energy as a shield to protect Hiei. He still didn't know what to think about that one. Even now, she was giving up her very life for the jewel. Her mind was burdened by the lives it had taken, and the time it had stolen from her friends, family, and strangers alike, not to mention the time it stole, and was stealing, from her. He was questioning her ability to be that self-sacrificing. No one he knew would have done what she already did, so he was trying to find a way to poke at it, and uncover what he imagined to be the truth. Somewhere, though, deep inside, he already knew the truth, and it was this edge of terrifying. He did not want to be the cause of her losing anything else. His fists clenched as he thought of becoming stronger. He had to keep her safe. Maybe in the beginning it was a job, but seeing how gentle and kind she was, and how good of a person she was, and how easily she became his friend, just enforced his feelings of protectiveness.

She had never hurt him, never degraded him, and never thought less of him. She knew little about him, or his life, and yet she treated him as if he were precious. Well he was. He was her precious friend, and no matter how hard it was for her, she would give everything to keep him happy and safe. He could do no less for her. The sentiment echoed with his teammates, and those who had just briefly interacted with her. She had a way of pulling in those around her, and she was working just as hard as they were against forces that were not of their choosing.

Yusuke fought against his heritage, because of Keiko. He wanted to embrace it, and become one with it, but she deemed his demon side and his love of fighting not normal, and didn't want to accept that part of him. The one person who was supposed to love him unconditionally only loved him as a person he could be, and not the person he truly was. Kagome accepted him as he was, no strings attached.

Kurama fought to keep his dual life separate from his living mother and family. He was a kitsune avatar, and he had a life that was completely secret, and had to remain so, because of its nature. He had to keep her safe, but at the same time, she didn't know who and what he was. It was taxing, and painful at times. Kagome knew both sides of him, and recognized that each part was just as important as the other, and she accepted them both.

Kuwabara fought for his place of recognition within the tantei. He wasn't the strongest, but he was strong, and he wasn't the best-looking but he had other qualities that made him just as powerful and valuable as his fellow teammates. Kagome recognized his hard work, and his contributions to the team, as a valuable asset; not just as a fighter, but as a friend, too.

Hiei fought his way into each nook and cranny that wouldn't throw him out first. He was forever being feared and hated because of what he was, but she wasn't one of those people. She accepted him from the first time she met him and even saved his life, not even knowing who he was. He knew thousands of beings that would have let him purify into dust, but she rescued him with no regrets. She opened her heart to him, even if he was reluctant to accept her kindness. He didn't trust it at first, but after he learned what kind of person she truly was, he had no choice but to believe in her; she was the first person outside of the team to earn his trust, even if she didn't know it yet.

Together, they could do great things. Her trust in them, and her faith not only in their strength, but her faith in them was an invisible power all on its own; the intangible power that lay in that trust was just barely discovered, in the way that each demon had put aside their differences to come together to find her in the nick of time. No one mentioned rank, or individual strengths or accomplishments; each demon came together for her. Her kindness and sincerity drew them together, and they each knew, that as long as she were alive, her invisible power, that of her faith and friendship, would break down those barriers between them.

It was a power that went unrecognized by her friends in the past. They knew, that Kagome was the glue that held them together, but none helped to reinforce the feelings of goodwill that she radiated on a constant basis. Part of the reason was because of the personal trials that they were facing on their own; Miroku was cursed, and had no heir. He had to worry everyday about dying from the curse, but wasn't he already in fear for his life against demons? Why would the wind tunnel curse be any different? Sango lost her entire family to Naraku, and had to watch as her brother was manipulated by the spider hanyou. She remained tough and unapproachable by the other lone female in the group, instead of confiding in her. She forced herself to remain aloof and separate; Kagome's companionship and kindness was there, if only they would have embraced it to its fullest.

Finally, there was Inuyasha. He could have had everything he ever secretly dreamed to have if only he would have understood his vows made to not only Kikyou, but to Kagome, too. He promised to protect Kikyou, but he let her torture herself, him, and everyone around them by just existing. He should have returned her to peace by killing her clay form, but his warped sense of his promises made him protect the pale imitation of life that animated her false form. He promised to protect Kagome, but he hurt her in every way a person can hurt someone; physically, when he allowed Kikyou to hurt her without stopping the incarnation, mentally, with his constant degradation of her person and always breaking his promises, and emotionally, in the place it hurt the most; her heart.

Kagome had this invisible power to heal the hurt hearts and minds of everyone around her; everyone, but herself. Whether it was because of her miko powers, or just because of her caring heart, that could be debated for ages, but it was a power she was unaware of. She did what was right. Her sense of justice was strong, and unshakable. With her justice came compassion, and the ability to forgive wrongs, even wrongs done against her. She was, and always had been, selfless, and that was her greatest power.

For someone who thought she was weak, and useless, she had such power, if only those around her would truly realize it.

The next afternoon brought Kagome back to the land of the living as she slowly opened her eyes. The ceiling came into view and she briefly recognized the pale color of it. She knew she was back at Genkai's, but she didn't know how she came to be here. She could feel the softness of pajamas against her skin, and a blanket that smelled of home rested over her. It was warm, but not uncomfortably so, and next to her on her nightstand was an untouched glass of water. She could feel a twinge of pain at the back of her head and she reached her hand back to gingerly touch the wound. Suddenly, images of the past day flooded her and she took in a gasp of pain at the realization. For not the first time, Inuyasha had chosen Kikyou over her. He was willing to kill her to have the previous miko returned to him. Tears overflowed form her eyes and traced uncertain paths down the sides of her head and into her slightly matted hair. The pain that stabbed her in the chest was unrelenting and persistent even as she moved to sit up. She knew that she would never be his number one, but it still hurt. It was too new for her to come to grips with peacefully. For her, it had been only a few months. For him it had been centuries. She didn't sob, but the tears fell none-the-less as she sat there, remembering everything that happened. He was going to steal her soul to revive Kikyou. What was it with people always wanting to steal her soul? Inuyasha wasn't the first person to try that feat; Kanna had tried it, Naraku had tried it, demons who had no desire except for the jewel had tried it.

She had to wonder what was so special about her soul, that everyone would want it. It wasn't like it was anything unique. In fact, in her opinion it was cursed; cursed by Kikyou's hatred, and its connection to the Shikon no tama, and cursed by its obvious attraction to danger. Kikyou had cared for a frail and injured man, and he ended up killing her. Kagome had fallen into a well at the tender age of 15 and had ended up dying at the hands of that same man. If she hadn't known that he was dead, she would have wondered if he was part of the curse on her soul as well, seeing as how he was the downfall of her soul not only in the past, but in her time as well.

Both miko's lives had ended so unhappily; both had their hearts broken, though in different ways. Kikyou thought Inuyasha had betrayed her, and Kagome knew that he would never love her like she loved him.

"Maybe my soul truly is cursed." She spoke to the silence as she reached up a hand to wipe at her tears. The moment her hand touched the liquid, she seemed to come back into herself as she moved to stand, her eyes wide with uncertainty and fear. Her world spun as she moved towards the door and she collapsed heavily against it as she croaked out with her parched voice, "Yukina!" Her voice was soft, almost unheard even in the small, bare room, but the house was full of demons, and none of them could mistake the sound of someone falling against the doorway.

Seconds later it opened, and she fell through it, but before she could make impact with the floor strong arms surrounded her and drew her up to an equally strong and warm chest. Her eyes lifted to meet with chocolate brown eyes that looked, even now, hesitant. Kagome's own surprise was evident as she looked at Yusuke. She thought she told him to go, but evidently he didn't listen. For a moment, neither one spoke, until the toushin said with a voice torn between relief and gruffness, "You're awake."

Kagome's uncertainty washed away at those words and she said, "Yeah." She couldn't help but smile, even though her eyes were swollen and her head was throbbing. He was okay, and he was there. It said so much to her that he was there, and she knew she'd forgive him for earlier.

He looked even more relieved at her smile, and he held her steadier and closer to his form as he wrapped his arm around her torso, being careful not to touch anything important. Kagome let him help her stand and she looked past the doorway to the others that had been in the house at the moment.

Rinku waved from the couch he was sitting on, and she saw Kurama and Chu sitting on either side of the young demon. Genkai was sitting in her easy chair, and Sesshoumaru was sitting on the loveseat, next to Kouga. Kuwabara was sitting on the floor next to the table in the center of the room, and Jin was riding a wave of air near the silent television. Finally, each taking up a corner of the room, were Touya, and Hiei. Both looked eerily similar in appearance as far as how they were standing, and the aura surrounding them. Kagome felt tears come to her eyes again as she remembered again, that they had stood up for her; they stood with her against Inuyasha. Now that she could see that they were alright, she felt her strength wane and she slumped lightly in Yusuke's arms. Her legs were shaking with the effort to keep her body upright, but the moment she had half-collapsed in the toushin's arms, ten bodies moved almost imperceptibly towards her. She waved a hand weakly as she tried to silently reassure them that she was fine, but even that motion was feeble.

Finally, without her permission, Yusuke lifted her into his arms bridal style, and strode across the floor towards the couch. Kagome opened her mouth to protest but she saw the look of worry and determination on the toushin's face as he held her. She closed her mouth and resigned to rest her pounding head against his chest. He seemed to relax a fraction at the motion before he paused by the couch. Rinku moved from his spot without being asked and Yusuke gave him an appreciative nod before he set her down carefully between Kurama and Chu. Instantly, the kitsune and brawler placed hands on separate parts of her back to keep her upright. Kagome registered the touches but she couldn't exactly tell them she was fine when even now, her world was spinning. Instead, she said, "Does anyone have any Tylenol I can take?"

Each demon looked perplexed except those familiar with the human world before Yukina came into the rather full living room and said, "I have something better." She smiled warmly before walking up to the young miko and placing her hand on the back of her head, where it had crashed with the ground. With a second of concentration, her healing power flowed from her hand into the wound, instantly easing the pain and the dizziness. She held her hand there a few moments before she pulled it away and asked, "Is that better?"

Kagome looked up at the koorime to smile as she replied, "That's amazing. Thank you." Everyone seemed to relax at that statement as the tension and uncertainty dropped a few levels. They knew she'd not only been hurt badly for a human, but she'd had her soul sucked from her body and split into many pieces. That would take it out of anyone, human or not. Kagome lifted her head slowly, and, thankful for the lack of dizziness, she looked at Sesshoumaru first. He looked over her form with scrutinizing eyes, still unsure that she was well, but after a moment he seemed satisfied with her care. No one broke the silence again, as each person waited for Kagome to speak. The first question they received though wasn't the one they expected. "Is everyone alright? Did Inuyasha hurt any of you?" she asked, as she looked over each person in the room. She had passed out before realizing just who all came to her rescue, so she looked at each of them slowly, searching for invisible wounds that could have been hidden beneath their clothing.

The temperature seemed to drop a few degrees in the room. No one wanted to broach the subject of the hanyou, since they had moved ahead with their plans without consulting her. They didn't know how she would react, and the only thing keeping them there was that the hanyou did still live, no matter how short that time would be.

"Everyone is fine, Kagome." Sesshoumaru answered, taking the lead as he often did. He hadn't been Leader of the Western Lands by being passive, that was for sure. She lifted her head to look at the golden eyes of the Taiyoukai before she smiled and nodded lightly. She would take his word for it, because she trusted him implicitly.

"That's good." She paused, as her nose wrinkled lightly in worry and uncertainty. "…and…Inuyasha?" she questioned, as she forced her sadness away to focus on the task at hand. He had wanted her soul so badly he was going to subject her to ripping it away from her to revive Kikyou. What had happened all those years ago? What had happened since? Why did he hate her so much now? All of her questions were unspoken, just pinging thoughts through her head as she awaited an answer. She was sure she wouldn't like it.

At the mention of the hanyou's name, the temperature dropped a few degrees more and Kagome silently looked to Hiei and then to Touya as she felt goosebumps form on her skin. Worry tinged her eyes before the hiyoukai moved away from his spot and walked out of the room. His anger was tangible, like molten lava over her chilled skin and she frowned at his retreating form. "Hiei…?" she questioned softly after him, as she moved to stand.

Hiei knew that she would ask for the hanyou. They had known each other for years, so he expected her to worry and wonder what had happened to her kidnapper. He couldn't help but be angry though at the open worry she showed. He didn't want it to be for the demon that kidnapped her and put her through such pain. He wanted her to hate him, he wanted her to be angry. However, he knew that would never happen. She was too pure, too good-hearted to ever hold anything against anyone; himself included.

She walked the few steps towards him tentatively before he turned around and snapped, "Don't follow me! You're just going to let him get away with it again! There's no point in protecting you if you don't want to be protected, stupid woman!" he yelled, making her flinch back in response. Hiei hadn't yelled at her before, not like that. He pretended to be gruff and angry, but he never truly was angry with her. Annoyed, most certainly, but never truly angry. Multiple growls filled the air before Kagome held out a hand and shook her head. This was her fight, if there was going to be one. She had to fix this, whatever was wrong with Hiei to make him think so lowly of her. Did he expect her to roll over and just forgive Inuyasha? Did he expect that she wouldn't defend herself from him? She'd given herself a concussion to try and get away from him, didn't she? Didn't that say something?

"I'm not stupid. I may not be the brightest, but I'm not stupid." She whispered quietly before she clenched her teeth and looked up to the back of the one who'd stuck by her side so much over the past couple of months. He'd always been there, even when she wasn't looking for him. Her heart hurt to have him with his back to her, like he was turning his back on her.

Hiei ignored the slight pain in her voice to focus on his anger. Sure, he knew that she wasn't stupid, and he didn't really think she was, but he was an emotional wreck because of all of this. All he could think about was killing the hanyou and protecting Kagome. He was forced to leave the inner group because his anger got the better of him, what if she just let it happen again? He wouldn't stand by and get wrapped up in her emotional turmoil if she didn't do something to fix the situation. He wouldn't stand by and let her just accept the hanyou back with open arms. He'd seen what the hanyou did to her! He nearly watched her die because of that demon! He wouldn't stand by and let it happen again, no matter what she said! "You're worried about him…you care about him! He nearly killed you!" he shouted, this time as he ran out the door, knowing there wasn't anger on his face, but nearly heartbreaking sorrow, as he pleaded to the wall for her to understand. His chest hurt. His heart was beating entirely too fast and loud for him to understand. He'd never felt like this before and it scared him, as well as angered him. What had Kagome done to him? He still didn't know the answer; however, it wouldn't stop him from being angry at her for being so forgiving.

Kagome stood there in the deafening silence before she turned to everyone and smiled weakly. "Excuse me." She said softly, before she turned and walked calmly out the door, after the hiyoukai.

Simultaneous pairs of eyes met before Chu chuckled. "Never seen the half-pint get so worked up before."

Kurama nearly growled before he shoved it down. He had no right to go out there and interfere. This was between Hiei and Kagome, but damnit if he didn't feel jealous that they were alone. He, too, felt angry that Kagome was worried about the hanyou, but he was far calmer than Hiei. The hiyoukai was volatile in the best of situations, but this little episode proved just how much he'd changed since they first all came together as the Spirit Detectives. He truly cared about Kagome's well-being, and that didn't sit well with the kitsune.

Yusuke snorted at Chu's laughter before he shook his head. He almost didn't believe his ears until he'd seen it for his own eyes. Hiei was, as Chu so put it, "worked up". Hiei got angry in battle, but rarely showed emotion outside of it. For him to yell and so openly be angry, for any reason, was shocking. It proved that he did care about the miko, and he was feeling strangely about it. His own feelings about the girl were so messed up and jumbled together that he wasn't sure to be happy that someone liked her, or pissed. He was settling for confusion while he let the situation play out. Besides, he had his own issues to deal with; one big one by the name of Keiko.

Sesshoumaru frowned at the slight tenseness of the atmosphere before he glanced towards the hallway where Kagome had left. He wondered if he should go chaperone the confrontation that he knew was going to take place, but he held himself back. He couldn't protect Kagome forever, and he understood Hiei's anger at the situation. He didn't know what Kagome was planning to do about Inuyasha, but he almost wished that she would let him go. He'd dug his own grave…again. Somehow, he knew she wouldn't let things just go. She would do something; that something though would definitely affect her newfound protectors opinions of her. Why were humans always so perplexing, and so much trouble?

/chapter

A/N: Another chapter from me. Hope you all enjoy. Fallen Angel should have a new chapter soon-ish.

Thanks for the continued support.

Kudo's, loves!~

animeinvasiongirl aka Sayuri-chan


	14. Shelter from Choices

Chapter 14

Search for Shelter

Shelter from Choices

Kagome paused as she approached Hiei's still figure near Genkai's forest. He could have run completely away from her, but he hadn't. He had waited, but he himself didn't know why. She stood quietly behind him, a few paces away so that she didn't crowd him. Truth be told, she didn't want to invoke his anger further at her, and though she was upset, she felt his own outburst was warranted. He was worried about her, and she had disregarded his feelings by caring so much for someone who hurt her.

She was in foreign territory. No one had cared about her well-being like he had. Even if it was under false pretenses, even if it was only because Koenma told him to do so, she felt that this latest outburst was because he was truly worried, not because he was upset that she'd been taken. If that was the case, Inuyasha would already be dead, and Kagome had a feeling that he was still alive somewhere; where that somewhere was, she had no idea, but he wasn't dead. She was at a loss. She never planned on hurting him, but she could feel the waves of tension and pain that laced through his aura. Did her concern for Inuyasha hurt him so much?

She had no idea where to begin, so she started with the most logical step, when she felt she was in the wrong.

"I'm sorry." She said softly, knowing that his sensitive demon hearing would pick up the words, even if they were barely above a whisper.

"Hn. Do what you like." The hiyoukai spat back, his pain evident, but he was trying too hard to cover it up with anger and gruffness. His expression was almost panicked, but she couldn't see his face. What if something happened to her? The fear of that made him lose all sense of his composure. The only other being he'd ever come close to feeling this panicked emotion for was for Yukina. He didn't even panic this much over himself, so suffice to say that he was feeling incredible turmoil at these new, unknown feelings.

Kagome hesitated, before she walked forward, not sure of what she was going to do, but she had to do something. She had to fix this somehow between them. She counted on him, far more than she liked to admit to herself. Even if he was gruff, and said things in a tone that was harsh, she knew deep down that he wouldn't leave her. He was that loyal, and that caring. Sure, if she tried to say it to his face, he would deny it with a passion, and she knew that he was loyal to very few beings. All that aside, however, she knew in her heart that no matter what happened, he would never abandon her.

She paused just a step away from his exposed back, and tried to gather her racing thoughts. She had to fix this, but how? How did she fix something she wasn't sure how she broke? "Hiei, I…" her voice caught as she looked down, fighting back tears, and anger. He didn't have any right to dictate her, but at the same time, he had been by her side protecting her from demons like Inuyasha – those that wished her harm, and she just kept forgiving, and setting herself up for more pain and almost certain death.

Finally, her frustration and uncertainty won out as she said, "Damnit, Hiei, look at me!"

He didn't think as he whirled around and faced her, her tone of anger and almost childlike fear compelling him to face her even as he wanted to shout back at her, and tell her he didn't have to do a damn thing. However, there was no anger on his face, and the expression that he shared with the miko was one he had not had on his face in hundreds of years: fear, and betrayal. Some sliver of him believed that if she forgave the hanyou, she betrayed him; he was the one who was always there, he was the one who was always watching over her, so if she forgave the person who tried to hurt her, she was betraying his loyalty, and his protection.

Kagome's next words disappeared as she saw that expression. It hurt parts of her she never knew she had inside her at the look on his face. For someone who was supposedly one who did not express emotion, his face belied the rumors. Kagome moved first, in the still silence, as she reached up her hand to touch his face. She didn't touch him however – her hand was trembling lightly just millimeters from his skin. Would he push her away…would he forgive her?

The hiyoukai closed his eyes to the pain that was in her eyes. Something had shown on his face, and it hurt her so deeply he was sure it might not ever heal. He had put that look on her face. Knowing he was hurt, that she was the cause of it, hurt her so much that he wasn't sure how to take it all in. No one cared about him like this before. No one showed such an expression except if he purposely inflicted such pain – and yet, he'd never been one to inflict emotional pain. He inflicted physical pain, and typically to those who deserved it. He did not go purposely seeking to harm others. When Kagome understood that she had hurt him by worrying about Inuyasha, it had hurt her just as much, if not more. She had never meant to injure him. It wasn't a physical wound, but sometimes the wounds that hurt the most aren't ones that we can see.

Finally, her soft fingertips touched his face as she came within touching distance of Hiei. He let out a soft breath at that first, hesitant, gentle touch. Her fingers were slightly cold, and shaking. Even he could feel the tremors in the tips of her fingers. "Hiei…I'm so sorry. I'm so…so sorry." Her broken voice whispered on the wind as she hesitantly touched his face, not brave enough to do anything more than this. Hiei didn't like her touching him, or so she thought. He was a lone creature; though he was part of a team, he didn't live up to the expectations of a team. He often worked alone, and did things alone; he didn't stay in constant company of his teammates. Yet, he protected her. They were a bit of a team, him and her. She trained, and he watched over her. He watched over her, and she found herself in trouble over and over again. Would he leave her someday, because she became too much to handle? Because her _life_ became too much to handle?

Her emotions overwhelmed him as they seeped into his Jagan and flooded his mind. Broken images of her being left behind, and having to fight alone because Inuyasha had abandoned her flashed in a continuous stream. It made his anger grow – was she trying to make him feel guilty? Though she had apologized, she was the one who continued to take the hanyou's abuse. She was the one who didn't put an end to it. It was her own fault. She was too tender-hearted, and too forgiving. With a growl, he took a harsh step back from her, tearing himself away from her touch. Let _her_ deal with the hanyou – let her depend on _his _protection. It was clear that she still cared about Inuyasha, and even with her apology, he knew she would forgive the whelp – because that was just the way she was. That didn't mean that he had to accept it.

Kagome's heart dropped into her stomach when he stepped back like that from her, leaving her hand hovering in mid-air. Her voice took a tone of borderline panic as she spoke, "Please don't go." Tears stung at her eyes at the thought that he might leave, that he would leave because of things she couldn't change about herself. Without her forgiving nature…who was she? Her forgiving nature was one of the things that differentiated her from Kikyou – it was one of her most redeeming qualities in her opinion.

The hiyoukai's eyes widened in shock as he watched as crystalline tears formed in the corners of her eyes. They fell easily down her cheeks as she looked at him with that panicked expression on her face. There was fear too, fear that he would leave, fear that she had hurt him and that she couldn't fix it. Kagome was all about fixing things that were broken. Sometimes she failed, like with Inuyasha, but she kept trying anyway. He was frozen in place at that expression – he hadn't seen her afraid before, and he didn't like it, but he wasn't going to stand idly by while she so easily forgave Inuyasha for nearly killing her…all for a dream of having his dead lover back. He was no fool, even if she was. What she was doing was one of the reasons that he detested human emotion. He appreciated the fact that she could forgive so easily, but not Inuyasha. He had gone too far to be pardoned. With a strength he didn't know he possessed, even at her pleading, he moved another step back and shook his head. "You can have that damned hanyou for all I care." He spat, wrapping his anger around him like a second skin before he fled into the depths of the surrounding forests.

Kagome's eyes widened as he suddenly disappeared from in front of her and she slowly moved her hand to over her mouth. Her entire body shook as she looked from side to side for him, searching for his energy signature. She was so distraught that she couldn't even feel him. Her body suddenly felt numb. Why she was still looking for him, after what he'd said, even she didn't know, but after a few moments a choked sob left her lips as she wrapped her arms around herself. "I'm sorry Hiei…" she whispered, before she covered her face, and screamed out, "I'm sorry!" There was nothing else she could do but apologize. She couldn't fix what she'd broken.

At the scream of Kagome's voice, multiple bodies jumped in their seats in the main house. Kurama was the first to reach the door; he'd been unsettled from the moment Kagome had followed the hiyoukai out of the house. Yusuke followed a close second behind the kitsune, and both were out the door followed quickly by Sesshoumaru, and the rest of the team that had assembled. Though it was a cry of apology, there was such anguish within the two spoken words that it made their hair stand on end. What had happened?

Kurama froze as he approached her shaking form. She was still standing, but how she had managed that, she had no idea. He could smell the scent of despair and sadness blanket the area like an unrelenting fog. Her shoulders shook with each new sob that came from her lips, and she was so lost in her own grief that she didn't notice her new audience. His eyes darted towards Hiei's signature, which was nearby, but it was incredibly agitated, though he noticed that the signature was moving farther and farther away from their current location. Hiei had left Kagome behind – he had abandoned her alone out here. It was in Kagome's nature to forgive, to mend fences after bad things were done to her; Hiei knew this more than anyone, and yet he would hold this against her – her forgiving nature against Inuyasha, one of her first friends during her travels in Feudal Era Japan. Anger and frustration erupted within both parts of Kurama – the human part that sympathized with Kagome, and the kitsune part of him, that wished for that kind of loyalty. After all that had happened, and all the wrongs that had been done to her by the inu-hanyou, she would still forgive him. That kind of loyalty, while foolish, was far too rare to just cast aside – especially when it came from a human.

Yusuke didn't hesitate to rush forward and draw the young, sobbing girl into his arms. He wasn't hesitant, but impulsive, so he went with his gut and that was to get her to stop crying. "Hey…hey now, it's okay. It'll be okay…" he didn't know what else to say as he held her shaking form in his arms. He would have enjoyed the motions more if she hadn't turned her head up to look at him, with her eyes full of sorrow and hopelessness.

"I hurt him…I hurt him, Yusuke." Was all she said before she buried her head down into his chest just as her sobs began anew. He opened his mouth to say something else, to make some kind of retort, but his own voice fell silent. What did anyone say in this situation? It wasn't as if he had experience in matters of the heart. His closest friend was Kuwabara; any disputes were handled through their fists. As for Hiei, he was the most complicated, and emotionally constipated member of the team – how would the girl even know if she hurt the hiyoukai? Did Hiei actually tell her that she'd hurt him? Or did something else happen without their knowledge when she ran out of the house after him? Kurama forced down a growl at the toushin's quick actions, which was easier to do when Kagome spoke. Shock registered on his face before he looked to Yusuke. Neither were able to fully comprehend what had happened here – Hiei…hurt? He never mentioned being actually hurt – and he never let his emotional façade drop, no matter what the situation. It was rare to see any emotion other than disinterest upon his face, but Kagome was most adamant in the assumption that she'd hurt him. There had to be a reason for that – a reason none of them were privy to.

The toushin rubbed her back gently as he held her, unable to say anything else. He wasn't good with crying people, but as the seconds passed, he noticed that she was becoming more and more slack in his arms. His grip tightened on her as Sesshoumaru approached. He, too, had heard her assumption and he placed a hand over her head. "Give him a chance to cool his head, Kagome. Everything will be okay." He said softly, though the words were meant to be comforting, they only added another piercing arrow into her heart.

"I shouldn't have hurt him in the first place, Sesshoumaru." She said softly before she pulled slowly from Yusuke's embrace. Her face was reddened and swollen from her tears, but she had no time to lament her mistakes. Inuyasha was still out there somewhere, and she had to deal with the aftereffects of what he'd done. The taiyoukai moved to speak again, but he fell silent at the look in her eyes. Sadness overshadowed all other emotions that normally sparkled in her eyes, but he also saw a small bit of resignation. She had come to a decision about something.

"Kagome…Hiei is…" Kurama tried to speak up, but was stalled as she held up a single hand, even as she wiped at her face lightly with her other hand.

"He's right." She said with a slightly cracked voice. "I'm too soft on him…Inuyasha. I just can't abandon him though…I can't…_not_ forgive him." She whispered, before she looked up to Sesshoumaru's hardened expression. "He's suffered so much…and a lot of it was my fault…if all he wants is to have Kikyou back…then I'll give it to him." She finished in a quiet voice, earning startled gasps from the rest of the team.

"She was always…better than me anyway…right?" she spoke over the protests and the shouts.

"But the jewel…!"

"He doesn't deserve it!"

"He hurt _you_!"

"You can't _do_ this!"

"I won't let you!"

Kagome held up a hand to stall the jumbling voices and she shook her head. "I have a wish, right? On the Shikon no Tama…one wish. Maybe I can fix…everything that I broke." She said softly, as she placed a hand over her side. Yusuke reached out his hands to shake her but was forcefully pushed back by an invisible wave of power.

"Kagome, stop!" Sesshoumaru yelled, as he too, tried to reach her, even though he couldn't penetrate the barrier that had formed around her.

"He's not worth it, Kagome! Please, be rational!" Kurama shouted, as Youko took advantage of the situation and forced his way to the front of their shared body.

Hiei, who felt the large disturbance, turned sharply from his retreat, and stared into the distance. Even from miles away, he could see the brilliant pink of Kagome's power. Anger seethed within him – should he return? He was confident the others could handle the danger, but the fact that so much power was visible was troubling. He didn't move forward, but he also didn't move further away.

Midoriko's ethereal form appeared, and hovered lightly over Kagome's much smaller form. The girl cared too much for her own good, and now, in her sadness, she was going to take the ultimate step and finally make a wish on the jewel. Anger filled her at the thought that a demon had made her sister feel this way again. Another demon, another wound in Kagome's heart – she was tired of Kagome suffering when she was just trying to live her life as honestly as she could. She would always be caring, always be forgiving, and always, always…would she put others before herself. A weak smile appeared on the young miko's lips as she stared up at her predecessor and creator of the Shikon no Tama. "I've decided on a wish, Midoriko." Kagome said softly, as she felt as the spherical jewel slowly slip from her body before solidifying in front of her. Her hand moved forward even as the others' protests died in the background. It was such a pretty jewel, but so much malice and disaster came from it's mere existence.

"What is it you wish for, Kagome?" the ancient miko questioned, even as her eyes softened in quiet sadness.

"Fix…everything. Fix everything that I broke. The past…Hiei's heart…their lives." She looked out of the barrier towards the now silent companions that had gathered for her sake. They were shouting, but she couldn't hear their voices any longer. "I wish…I had never died. If I had never died…I never would have met them…Inuyasha could have my soul and Kikyou back, and it will be as if I never existed. I never…" her voice broke as she shouted, "I never should have gone back to the past to begin with!"

The wind picked up, and with a burst of pink and powerful energy, much like an atomic bomb, everything changed, and Kagome squinted her eyes at the brightness of it all. The final words she heard before she blacked out were, "Your wish has been fulfilled…Kagome."

And then…everything went dark.

/end

A/N: I apologize deeply for the long delay in this chapter. I know it's shorter than my others. (A scant 6 pages, eek!) But towards the end of this chapter inspiration struck and I decided that I need to start a new chapter before everyone sees what happened with her wish. Hopefully my next one will be up within the week – I have the ideas, I just need to type it up. FA should have a new chapter soon-ish as well.

Thanks for all of the reviews, watches, and adds to favorite lists. I appreciate all of the support.

Kudos, Loves!  
Sayuri-chan aka animeinvasiongirlieiHiei


	15. Shelter from A Broken World

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. They belong to their respective owners. I make no profit from the making of this fanfiction story. All plot related ideas within are mine and mine alone.

A/N: Here's another chapter for you all. Enjoy.

Chapter 15

Shelter from A Broken World

"_Kagome…"_

"_Kagome…"_

"_Kagome…wake up…it's time to wake up…"_

"_Kagome!"_

The young miko started with a visible jump as she heard her name shouted out with displeasure and a little uncertainty. She just had the _weirdest_ dream about a boy with dog-ears, and the well on her family's shrine property. Her eyes drifted towards the voice which was still resounding on the other side of her door.

"Are you awake yet, sis?" the voice asked again as her bedroom door opened. It was dark in the room, and she shifted her eyes towards her window, which didn't exist. Her walls were cement, as was the ceiling. No wonder it was so dark – but this was usual, right? Her head throbbed lightly and she winced but she managed to look towards the owner of the boyish voice that had awoken her.

"Are you okay? You look pale…I hope you're not getting sick again…" he said as he approached her.

"Kohaku?" she questioned, seeing the brown hair of the other boy, and the deep brown eyes that set on his younger face. The boy gave her a quizzical look before shaking his head.

"Are you running a fever? It's Souta…you know, your little brother?" he asked, as he moved forward to place a hand on her forehead. His hand was cool to the touch and she instinctively leaned into it before blinking lightly.

"Souta?" she questioned quietly to herself, as she tried to figure out why that other boy's name popped into her head. Of course this was her little brother, Souta. She had grown up with him, had gone through many things with…her little brother. The boy nodded when she said his name before he frowned at her and she bit her lower lip in thought.

"I'm gonna go get dad…I'll be right back, sis." He said as he pulled back and gave her another uneasy look before he left. Kagome placed a hand on her chest as her eyes widened in fear. Her father was dead, and as far as she knew, and she would, her mother hadn't remarried. Her mind protested at her that he was alive, and had been alive. Another part of her mind argued that something was seriously wrong and nothing was as it was supposed to be.

She quickly moved to her feet before she looked around for a potential weapon. It was sad when she felt safer with a weapon in her hands than without. Another heartbeat later she froze. A weapon? What was she thinking? She quickly held up her hands to look at the palms of them, her eyes searching for answers that weren't forthcoming. What was going on?

Pink power engulfed them and her eyes widened again in uncertainty before she smiled. This was familiar. She remembered this; this power, this calming essence. It came from her very soul, and with that thought, an image appeared above her head.

"Your wish was fulfilled, Kagome, but nothing is as it was. You never went to the past, but it was your destiny to do so. Naraku continues his search for the Shikon no Tama, and Inuyasha and Kikyou never received their happy ending." The figure said, and for a moment, Kagome was scared, until she remembered who this person was.

"Midoriko? Then…does that mean…" Without another word, she fled the room and found that she had no idea where she was. Following the cement walls she found a set of stairs and quickly began her ascent of them.

"Kagome!" A strangely familiar male voice called out to her. Terror and disbelief filled her eyes as she turned towards the voice.

"…daddy?" she questioned, as she swallowed thickly and gripped the banister under her hand tightly. This couldn't be…it was impossible. Her father was dead, but standing before her was a little older version of the man she called 'dad'. He was just as she remembered him, down to his scruffy beard.

"What are you doing, sweetie? It's still light out; it's dangerous to go out at this time of day." He admonished her as he took a few steps towards her. Kagome moved backwards instinctively, not trusting anything around her as she shook her head.

"I have to check something out…I have to make sure…" she didn't give him a chance to respond as she turned and ran up the last few steps and pushed open a large metal door that allowed the sunlight to finally touch her skin.

"Kagome!" the strange man shouted again as the door closed behind her. She didn't hear it shut as her eyes struggled to take in the sight before her. Nothing was alive – there was no grass, or trees. She couldn't hear the sound of cars, or even see the sky properly. There was an unnatural haze over everything, and the sunlight hurt her skin. Tears prickled at her eyes, but she didn't allow them to fall. Without thinking she ran blindly towards the one constant that she remembered throughout much of her childhood – the Goshinboku.

Her feet scrapped over the hard earth but she didn't stop or slow her motions. She came to a sliding halt a few moments later when her eyes fell on the tall, decidedly wilted figure of the God's Tree. Even in such a strange world, it stood proud, standing up to the tests of time. However, it wasn't the tree, or the surroundings that had her staring in complete shock – it was the lone figure, still pinned to the trunk of the ancient tree. A light breeze moved the figures stark white hair around and a pair of puppy dog ears sat atop his still face. A withered arrow protruded from his chest in a morbid sort of way, showing the passage of time, even if the boy did not.

"Inuyasha…" she whispered, the name coming easily. She knew it from this time…she also knew it from another time…another place. She had seen this before, but he had been surrounded and sheltered by the vivid foliage of the tree, which was non-existent now.

Before she could examine him further, her senses screamed at her that there was danger and she whirled around, finding herself face-to-face with a demon that also looked familiar. "A human girl…rare. Most of your kind hides until the moonlight can protect you." His voice ground out as he smirked ferally at her.

Her eyes widened a fraction before she whispered in disbelief, "Hiei?" A sharp pain raced through her heart and she gripped the front of her pajamas quickly as if reassuring herself that she knew this person, no, demon.

The demon growled and took a step back, not trusting the girl who spoke his name. How did she know who he was? It wasn't as if he left survivors or allowed the rumors to spread too much. He so hated others learning things about him. "How do you know that name, girl?" he spat, his eyes bleeding red as he reached for his trusted katana blade that was strapped to his waist.

She flinched at the anger and distrust in his tone – it had been awhile since she'd heard it. The longer that she held onto the memories of her past, the past that she had lived in, not the one that she had wished herself into, she more she began to remember of that other life. Her mind protested harshly that those memories were lies and dreams – this was her reality, but she fought to retain those other memories. She had done something that changed everything with that one wish, and she hadn't even managed to fix one thing. It just made everything worse – what was she supposed to do now? "…I know you, Hiei. You…you know me, too. Don't you remember me?" she questioned, though her voice was soft, even as her heart was shattering in her chest.

She had tried to run away – she had taken the cowards way out and wished herself from that existence and she only made things harder on those around her and even Hiei had suffered more because of it. His eyes were dark, and completely lost. He had no love or kindness showed to him. Did he even know Kurama or Yusuke? Had he found his sister Yukina? Her heart lurched in her chest again as she lifted her head to look at him. His expression changed slightly, showing his confusion. He was supposed to know a human girl? He couldn't picture it and he would've remembered someone like her – she was beautiful for a human – her skin was fair, not leathery and damaged as with the rest of the human populace that had to live in this forsaken world. Her hair was long, and seemed to shine even in the harmful light of the sun. Her body was lean, and not unhealthily thin. Her family must have been one of the more well-to-do ones left in the world. Yes, he would have remembered her…but the images that fell from her mind had him rooted to the spot. That was him in her mind's eye – that was him who watched over her and protected her. The world was different though – full of life, unlike this one, which was dying. Where was she from? "Who are you, girl?" he questioned, his tone full of quiet wondering, even as he studied her further.

"I'm Kagome…" her heart lurched lightly as she clenched her hand into her shirt. "Where are Kurama and Yusuke? Are they alright?" she questioned, before asking, "Is Yukina okay? Genkai? Kuwabara?" She took a step forward, unable to stop herself as her face scrunched up in worry and uncertainty.

Hiei growled when she said his twin's name. He had managed to find her before the koorime destroyed her – they had tried to wipe themselves from the face of the earth, and thus taking her with them – he made them pay for their insolence. "How do you know Yukina?"

"She's my friend!" she shouted back, forcing back her fear as anger took hold. Hiei's eyes widened further as he looked at the strange girl. Images of his sister reached him, but it wasn't like he remembered her. She looked healthier, and warmer. She looked kinder and gentler than even he knew. The koorime had broken her down before he saved her, and he had never and would never, forgive them for that.

Another wave of energy floated over her and she whirled around with wide, almost unseeing eyes to Inuyasha's lone figure. "Inuyasha…" she whispered, even as his eyes opened and he looked slowly from her, to Hiei, and then back to her.

"Kikyou, you betraying bitch!" he shouted as he glared fiercely at her. "When I get down from here I'm going to kill you myself!" Kagome flinched gently before she shook her head and looked up at him – her expression was heartbroken. She remembered this from before, but it was different now. He had been pinned to the same spot for over 500 years. Everything he knew was gone. Then again, the same could be said for her – the difference was, she had wished this upon herself – this had been forced upon him.

"My name is Kagome." She said softly before she shook her head and said, "I'm so sorry…both of you, I'm so, so sorry." She had been saying that a lot lately and she was tired of it. She kept breaking things and messing things up. She broke the Shikon no Tama, she hurt Hiei, she wasn't able to help Inuyasha… "Why does everything I touch break!" she screamed as she shook her head and drew back from both of the demons near her. Each one looked confused, and angry. Inuyasha took a second to sniff the air and beyond the pollution, he could smell the girl's scent, and it wasn't Kikyou. More confusion and uncertainty filled his face as he looked from the girl to the other demon that was nearby. It was a hiyoukai, surprisingly enough, but the information did little to help him figure out what was going on.

Another flash of power resonated in the area, and Hiei and Inuyasha's eyes widened imperceptibly. "The Shikon no Tama?" the inu-hanyou all but whispered out. Hiei looked to the girl with complete shock. The Shikon was the most sought after artifact that had ever graced the planet. Since ancient times demons had searched for it, and one in most pursuit of the jewel was a demon named Naraku. Even for a hanyou, he was powerful – his physical strength was only enhanced by his mental prowess. He was known for his riddles and games, and toying with his prey before he destroyed them. If you were being sought after by the hanyou, your life was all but forfeit. The instability of HIei's own blood ensured that the hanyou would never target him – it was far too dangerous a venture to take over someone with such a volatile existence.

Kagome closed her eyes and felt for the forsaken jewel. It was there, just at her side, like it had been since the beginning. Tears fell down her smooth cheeks as she opened them to find both demons looking at her with newfound shock. "It's not gone…I thought it would have disappeared…but it's not gone."

"Gone?" Hiei questioned as he took a step closer to the strange girl. Mystery after mystery piled up around this human, and he had no answers. The images that were supplied for him only made things more complicated. Inuyasha glared at her before shouting, "Of course it's not gone, wench! It's not like it's going to disappear into thin air!" For him, he had not realized yet the passage of time, and thus was remembering just before he was pinned to the ancient tree.

"Of course, for once, you make sense, hanyou." Three faces turned to look at the new voice and Kagome gasped. Naraku stood at the edge of the clearing, Hiei growled under his breath as he drew his katana and glared at the evil demon. He was preparing himself for a battle, though he wouldn't of his own volition move to attack the strange demon. He didn't willingly go up against opponents such as him, but he would not let the demon just run off with the Shikon no Tama either. He'd heard legends of the jewel, and stories about what it was capable of. If he thought his life was bad now, in the hands of Naraku, the world would never be the same.

Naraku turned purple eyes towards the red of the hiyoukai before he smirked. "You would protect this human girl over a jewel that you don't even want?" he questioned, before laughing darkly. "You surprise me, hiyoukai."

Inuyasha growled before saying, "You won't lay a hand on her! Don't even think about touching her, you bastard!"

Kagome turned her head quickly to look at Inuyasha. Did he remember her? The inu-hanyou didn't turn his attention away from Naraku, and it allowed her to see that the arrow pinning him to the Goshinboku was now glowing. Without thinking, she rushed forward and hopped on the lower roots that were protruding from the ground. "Thank you…Inuyasha." Even if it wasn't for her, he would protect her. Her hand fell around the rough shaft of the arrow and with little effort, she pulled on it, and the arrow disintegrated in a small burst of light, freeing the hanyou from his timeless prison.

His golden eyes locked with her sapphire blues and for a moment, nothing moved until he grabbed her quickly and threw them both off to the side as a spray of miasmic poison laced the area. Kagome's power flared and purified the noxious fumes, as if she'd never lost time to begin with. Her training somehow stuck with her as she recalled how to manipulate her power. Hiei moved closer to the two, finding that even through the blast, somehow the air around the two was clean. He hadn't seen a true miko in years – every miko since the original protector of the Shikon no Tama had been slain by Naraku. He wanted to make sure that no one could rival him in power. How this girl had remained unharmed remained a mystery, but he didn't question it at this moment. If she was willing, they might just have the power to stop the evil demon before them and destroy him once and for all.

Kagome's eyes flew up towards Naraku before she quickly got to her feet, something that both Hiei and Inuyasha noticed. It was as if she had been trained for combat, which also didn't make much sense. With a glare and a vicious point of her finger, Kagome shouted, "You'll pay for that, Naraku!" Without thinking she rushed forward plowing through the miasma and tentacles that the hanyou threw her way. He had an additional five-hundred years to get stronger, but it was nothing in comparison to her pure priestess energies. Because he hadn't come against such powers in half a millennia, they were doubly effective against his demon blood.

Hiei snorted before he rushed forward, hacking and slashing his way through some of the tentacles. He wasn't going to let some human girl outshine him in battle. Inuyasha thought much the same way and he rushed forward to join the fray. Naraku screamed at the touch of her pure power, but almost playfully swatted away Inuyasha. Five-hundred years had made the inu-hanyou rusty – while Hiei was moving with all the experience that he had gained in this harsh world.

"I'll stop you…I won't let you hurt anyone ever again!" Kagome shouted as she jumped up recklessly and latched onto the human formed portion of Naraku's demonic body. Sapphire eyes locked with purple as he returned the favor. It almost looked as if they were lovers, locked in an embrace, but the flash of Kagome's powers signaled a scream from the hanyou that echoed in the clearing, leaving nothing left but the brilliant afterglow of her power, and ash, floating away on the breeze.

Kagome fell harshly to the hard, unforgiving earth, breathing heavily and looking at her hands in disbelief. It had been that easy. She had done it alone, with no one else. She had had the power within her all along. She moved to stand and turned, facing Hiei and Inuyasha, who were slowly approaching her. Hiei looked as if he had a growing respect for her, while Inuyasha had a sour look upon his face. "I could have done that." He said as he stood a couple of feet away from her.

Kagome couldn't stifle the small giggle at his oh-so-typical response. It was so him. Her eyes looked between the two before her expression softened once more. She had had the power to defeat Naraku inside of her all along; if she had the power to do that…then she had the power to fix what she'd broken…she had the power to apologize properly to Hiei…she had the power to save Inuyasha. She couldn't change him, nor did she want to…but she could save him…and she could save Kikyou, and their lost happy ending. She could give him the life he'd lost…she could turn back the tides of time…Sango's village…Miroku's curse…Shippou's parents…Kouga's pack…all of them, she could save them.

Quietly, she closed the gap between the two demons and she smiled softly. "Thank you for your help. You've both done so much for me…I'll never be able to repay you completely." Her expression gentled further. "But I'm still going to try."

Hiei lifted an eyebrow as the strange girl, '_Kagome_' he thought to himself, placed a petite hand on his cheek. "No matter what happens…" she shook her head lightly as she withdrew her hand. "…I'll find a way to make it up to you."

'_Make what up to me?_' he questioned mentally as he watched her step back and she looked up, as if seeing something that wasn't visible to either of them. He frowned as he felt a pang in his heart and he looked to her eyes. They were serene and calm; a familiar flash of those same eyes filled with sorrow filled his mind as she said softly. "It's time to fix what I broke." He didn't say anything to that, but he felt like if he didn't say something now, he'd never get another chance. It was somehow important that he see her again.

His expression softened before he said quietly, "See you later…Kagome."

Kagome paused as she turned her eyes back to his to smile, though it was torn. "See you later, Hiei." Even if was a lie, she would give him that little spark of hope, she had hurt him too much to not give him at least that.

Midoriko smiled softly, though it was pained as well – Kagome was willing to sacrifice even more for the jewel, and though she was proud of her, she couldn't help but feel deep sorrow for her as well. Inuyasha looked with confusion to the girl that was not Kikyou and he stepped forward but was unable to voice what he was thinking. He was just so confused with the entire situation at hand. Kagome turned her head to see the hanyou's disbelieving eyes before she smiled and said, "Don't worry…everything's going to be okay. It's my turn to protect you."

He opened his mouth to say something but his voice was lost as she took off in a sprint towards the old wellhouse that was somehow standing despite the current universe she was standing in. Her legs shifted easily over the lip of the well as if her body had never forgotten the motion and she fell down, down, down, and through the rip in time, with the Shikon no Tama to guide her.

Hiei and Inuyasha rushed after her and watched as she disappeared over the edge of the well. As they looked into the empty structure, their eyes widened in disbelief: the girl had completely disappeared.

Her feet landed easily on the bottom of the well and Kagome looked up with a smile to find that the sky was the blue she knew and loved. Quickly she pulled herself out of the well and oriented herself for a fraction of a second. She wasn't sure what time this was or when it was in her adventures, but she pushed that thought aside for now. Her eyes locked on the towering figure of the Goshinboku and she made a mad dash for it, keeping her senses wide and open for any danger. She didn't feel anything which was calming. She knew that many avoided Inuyasha's forest, thinking it haunted though there was nothing to be scared of. Her feet came to a skidding halt as she stood before the ancient tree and she let out a breath of relief.

There, as if she'd never left it, was the tree – and it was empty. She'd already freed Inuyasha, or perhaps, he hadn't been pinned to it to begin with. She moved away from the comforting familiarity of the Goshinboku and made her way towards Kaede's village. As she came towards the edge of the village, she paused, noting the workers in the fields, and the peacefulness of the village. She was in her pajamas still, she only just now noted, as she continued forward into the village. She found her way to Kaede's hut, ignoring the whispers of the villagers that didn't recognize her. Her expression tightened as she pushed the reed door aside and peeked inside. A young girl with a patch over her eye looked up from the stew she was making and gave her a curious look.

"Are you looking for my sister, Kikyou?" she questioned, not bothering to wait for the girl to explain herself. Her sister was the village's miko, so it was common to have outsiders show up and visit with her. She was well known throughout the area for being one of the most powerful priestesses alive.

Kagome bit her lower lip before she nodded firmly and said, "Yes. Where might I find her?" she questioned as she watched the smaller girl stand and smile at her.

"She's taking care of Onigumo, I think. She should be back soon!" she said cheerfully as she moved forward and out the door. She took note of the strange garments the girl wore, but said nothing as she said, "Can I get you something to drink while you wait?" she questioned, as she pointed towards the river that ran near the village.

Shaking her head lightly, she just smiled. "No thank you…I'll just take a walk for now and wait for her to return." The young girl nodded gently before she gave a look to those who were watching the girl warily and they seemed to relax. Kagome glanced back to them before she moved towards the outskirts of the village. She was about to do something that would turn the tide of her soul one way or another. Her hands began to shake lightly and she fisted them at her sides and she crossed the small bridge that took her out of the village and towards the cave that housed the thief that had caused all of this trouble to begin with.

Quietly, she waited for Kikyou to emerge from the cave and a few minutes later, the miko appeared with two empty bowls. Her expression was hard, almost unforgiving and Kagome sighed gently before she hid behind a tree. She waited for the other miko to disappear over the bridge and towards the village before she turned and made her way back to the mouth of the cave. Even here, she could feel the demons just waiting for Onigumo's word to devour his soul. Her power flared as she moved forward, earning the attention of the immobile man on the floor. His eyes widened slightly as he looked at her before he whispered, "Kikyou?" His voice was full of confusion, but Kagome shook her head as she kneeled down beside him.

"I'm sorry, I'm not her." She said softly as she reached out her hand to touch him but she refrained. He had to be in immeasurable pain from his burns. His eyes narrowed as he looked at the girl – she was the spitting image of his dear Kikyou, but as he looked into her blue eyes, he noticed differences between them. This girl was calm, with a gentle aura that seemed to envelope him even as he lay there immobile. Her expression was tender, unlike Kikyou's, which always seemed to be stiff – it was clear that she took her duties seriously, but she found no joy in helping others. Kagome pulled her hand back lightly before let ting out a soft sigh. Now that she was here…what was she going to do? How could she fix what was broken here, in order to fix what was broken later?

He didn't say anything as he stared at her thoughtful expression. It was almost lulling to watch her as she sat there quietly. He rarely got visitors; the head of the village came to pay his respects before Kikyou and Kaede began caring for him, and that was the extent of his visitors. He was forgotten, left alone to slowly wither away and die. Kagome smiled softly to herself as she came up with an idea and she looked to him, though he was in hideous shape, she still managed a soft smile. He blinked slowly, not believing that anyone could show him such a gentle, compassionate look. He had wronged his partner and friend, Rasetsu, and had paid for it when the man burned him nearly alive. He had little faith that he could earn forgiveness, though he often thought of what it would be like to bridge the gap and restore his friendship – though that was a distant thought. There was no way he could forgive Rasetsu for what he'd done. Anger filled his eyes as he held back a growl. Kagome's expression turned into a frown as she asked, "Are you alright?"

He blinked lightly when he turned his eyes to look at the strange look-alike girl. There was nothing but concern in her eyes and he let out a painful breath before saying, "Do not worry for one such as I…my time will soon be nigh." He nearly gasped when her expression turned sad, and heartbroken. Such compassion for one such as him, more compassion than Kikyou had ever shown him in all the time that he had been here.

"But…" Kagome didn't know what else to say. It was just so terribly sad; she could understand his frustration, his longing for someone who didn't return his affection. She had spent years longing for Inuyasha only to discover that he would always love Kikyou more than he would ever care for her. There was no room in his heart for her. Her expression deepened with her sadness before she looked to his eyes. "If you could be healed…would you want to be?" she questioned, even as she struggled with her few options. If she healed him, he could just as easily go to demons still, but the main reason he had allowed the demons to devour him was to give him mobility so he could have Kikyou, and the demons wanted to destroy Kikyou. Both parts of him wanted the jewel, but if there was no jewel to be had…Kagome's mind was working overtime as Onigumo's eyes widened.

"Do you have that ability?" he questioned, trying to force down the small bit of hope that rose in his chest. He knew that some miko's had the ability to heal – Kikyou's power, while vast, was directed towards destroying demons, not healing. She had limited abilities in that area, and that was the reason that he was still here, surrounded by filth, and slowly dying.

Kagome's sadness lifted a fraction before she placed a hand on his cheek. Her power flowed slowly into his skin, regenerating the flesh and purifying the toxins that lay beneath the bandages and surface of his skin. He groaned, feeling a shudder racing through the rest of his body. He had never felt anything like her power before, and it was calming, soothing – it was unlike anything he'd ever felt before. Kikyou didn't have this ability. She didn't even really know how to console someone, yet this girl, from out of nowhere, was answering one of his prayers. Was she some sort of god or angel?

The young miko's smile broke as her face scrunched up in concentration. She moved her hand and the power flowed over more of his skin, healing and regenerating the dead flesh, and returning it to its former glory. He was but 23 years old and his youthfulness showed in his skin as the bandages parted and fell to the side, revealing healed, pale, smooth, healthy flesh. The bandages fell from his face and he moved his hand with no troubles as he touched underneath the bandages. His eyes, which had looked ghastly between the slits of soiled bandages now set gently within their sockets, and returned the youthful look that he had had before the fire. Her power ebbed and flowed over his body, healing the damage to his torso, and then his legs, and finally his feet as the healing process became complete. For a moment, neither person moved. Kagome leaned back with labored breath; she hadn't used her power like this before, and not only had she purified Naraku in that other place and time, but regenerated a man's entire set of skin.

Slowly, Onigumo sat up, feeling a small strain in his muscles, but otherwise, there was no pain. He pushed the bandages aside and revealed the rest of his body one part at a time. He was embarrassed to find that even his most private parts were completely healed. His eyes moved from his healed self, to the sparkling eyes of the girl, no, miko, that healed him. She wasn't a witch that was certain. Her power was familiar but he'd never felt such compassion from anyone, including any other mikos that he knew. He looked over her face but all he could do was compare her to Kikyou, and though he was grateful, he couldn't find himself feeling guilty over that. Perhaps Kikyou could be as kind as this girl, if only she'd been with the right person. He had heard rumors of her spending time with the inu-hanyou, Inuyasha, but he couldn't honestly believe that the protector of the Shikon no Tama would care for a demon, even if he _was_ only a half-demon. Quickly, he shook his head of the lingering thoughts. It seemed a thanks was in order, and he shifted, finding that he could kneel. This deserved more than just a simple bow: the nameless girl had done the impossible for him.

Kagome's eyes widened in shock as she saw Onigumo bow to her, completely prostrating himself on the dirt floor to thank her. His bandages shifted and revealed more of his skin, and she was pleased to find that there were no scars left behind, but that did little to stop the slivers of uncertainty that raced through her. Had she done the right thing? Had she fixed what was broken? "Thank you, very much." He said, breaking her thoughts as they jumbled together in incoherent babbles.

"N…no thanks are needed. Anyone would do the same, if they could, I think." She said, as she waved a hand lightly in front of her.

He rose his head to look at her, showing his disbelief before he said softly, "Not everyone would use their power for good...only in human hands can the greatest gifts become the largest destroyers."

Kagome's eyes widened before they softened again in sadness. He was right, after all. It was a wise, but very saddening statement. After all, love, the greatest gift of all, was one of the things that could turn into the bitterest feeling imaginable. She ought to know – she'd been there before.

Onigumo hesitated to touch the young angel that had showed herself in his hour of need. Such sadness didn't suit her face and he paused before reaching out his hand and touching her leg lightly. "You have done what no one else would…I do not deserve the kindness you have shown me." He said quietly, earning another astonished look from Kagome. She had known that Onigumo wasn't really a bad person. He had fallen in love with Kikyou – he had, in a strange move, betrayed his friend, but he hadn't killed him. Rasetsu had tried to completely destroy Onigumo, showing just who the more evil of the two were. Sure, he was a thief, but that said nothing for his heart. After all, Youko was a thief, and he had a heart of gold underneath that almost impenetrable façade.

"Everyone deserves a second chance, Onigumo." She replied with a soft look, before she moved to stand. She reached out a hand to help him up. He had been immobilized for awhile, so he wouldn't be at full strength just yet. He looked from her hand to her face before he slipped his hand in hers and strained to stand. With her help he was able to get to his feet for the first time in months. Nothing hurt, and he realized just how bad he smelled, and the poisons that lingered around him from the wounds he'd received. Kagome must have noticed it as well, and said, "Would you like some help with a bath?"

He looked to the nameless angel, and nodded. Where she came from, and what her purpose was here, he didn't know, but he didn't need to know either. She had saved his very life, and sanity. He had no way to repay her kindness, but with her gentle smile and reassurances, he knew that she helped him with no ulterior motives – she helped him simply because she could, and it pleased her to help him, nothing more.

As evening came to the village, Kagome found herself sharing a space in the temple with Onigumo. Kikyou hadn't yet been informed of what had happened, and no one seemed to recognize the bandit, now that he was healed. They conversed quietly about his past, and Kagome listened, and gave advice where she could. Onigumo found that he hadn't felt so relaxed around someone in his entire life. Kagome was slightly distracted though, as she kept feeling for the Shikon no Tama. Her soul resonated with the other jewel – there was one within her, and one being protected in the temple. As night fell, and Onigumo fell asleep, the young miko stood and moved towards the pull that she felt. Before she got too far, Kikyou emerged from the shadows, arrow drawn and pointed at her.

"Where are you going?" she questioned, her eyes dark and fierce. She was incredibly protective over the jewel, because of her duty. It came before her life, before her very existence. Though she dreamed of a life as an ordinary woman, she would not shirk her duties. However, she had been speaking with Inuyasha, and they had a plan. Tomorrow, that plan would go into action.

Kagome paused in her steps as she looked at her previous incarnation, and she felt her soul stir within her. It was dangerous to be here, in the same time and place as Kikyou. Something protected her for now, but how long that would last, remained to be seen. She didn't want to wait to find out what would happen should that power fail. "I couldn't sleep." She replied quietly as she took a small step back. She didn't think that Kikyou would just shoot at her, but she didn't exactly trust the woman, either.

"It's dangerous out here at night. Demons run wild around the village and you have no power to protect you. Go back to your room." She ordered, her eyes narrowing lightly again as she lowered her bow.

Kagome frowned before saying, "I can handle myself just fine, thank you. Demons don't scare me." She wouldn't let Kikyou talk down to her like that – the girl didn't know anything about her and that condescending tone grated on her nerves like nothing else had.

Kikyou glared lightly at her before saying, "Do what you want then. If you get killed it's no concern of mine. I did warn you."

Kagome returned that glare before she nodded once. Yeah, she heard her all right. Without another word, the other miko went further into the temple and towards the jewel. For now, she would watch over it, and come early morning, Inuyasha would be there to "steal" the jewel.

The young miko watched her walk away, and sighed lightly. She always felt so drained after being around Kikyou – the woman was so...emotionally exhausting. Quietly, she moved towards the screen doors to look outside. The village was quiet, and there were no sounds except for the sounds of crickets and other insects. In the distance, she was sure she could see the faint glow of fireflies. This view was familiar, and calming. She remembered the first night she stayed in this temple. Images of the past shifted and stirred through her mind as she thought of the past, the mistakes she made, and how it all turned out. For a moment, tears stung at her eyes before she quickly shook her head.

No more tears. No more feeling sorry for herself. No more thinking about the mistakes she made in the past. She had a job to do, she had people to protect and save. There was no time to think about the past anymore. She would fix what was broken, no matter what happened to her.

With that resolve in mind, she waited for the sun's rays to greet her. She had a hanyou to speak with.

/chapter

A/N: Uwaaa…I didn't know if I'd have this up by week's end, but it's only a couple days shy of my intended date. I hope you guys all enjoy it. Next chapter will probably be in a couple of weeks, depending on my job situation. As usual, thank you to all who read, review, watch, and favorite this story. You're guys' encouragement means the world to me.

Kudos, Loves!

Sayuri-chan aka animeinvasiongirl


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